Harry Potter and the White Feather
by Tez-gm
Summary: COMPLETE: After defeating Voldemort, Harry should be able to relax, but fate has other ideas as an accident sends Harry and Remus through time. Can Harry prove that he is one of the greatest wizards in history? sequel to BotE
1. Chapter 1 – The Unscheduled Holiday

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Right then, what can I say? First things first; to those of you who are reading this fic for the first time (meaning you haven't read any of my others before), this chapter will give you a run down of events…but I'd suggest (at the very least) reading the timeline of Definitive Year as I am unsure exactly how much influence my previous stories have on this one, but I'd wager it'd be a fair bit.

As those who have read my other stories can all attest to, Remus is my favourite character, and as such, he is accompanying Harry throughout this story. This will get me out of having to write much 'trio talk', lol! I think I should also add 'Warcraft' to my list of ever-growing warnings…since this fic was originally titled 'Harry Potter and the Reign of Chaos'.

Again, as with my others, this story is obviously AU, but I do hope that doesn't put you off from reading it! The first chapter is always a bit of a 'reflection' type thing with my stories, so the majority of it won't be terribly interesting…but don't worry, it'll pick up its pace soon enough! And yes, I shall explain a certain event later on…it actually gets a full chapter.

Oh, and I shall apologise for lying to you all in Dormant and BotE, and doing something in this fic that I said I wouldn't. As for what it is…you shall have to wait to find out!

Also, please note that this fic will be the end of this series. While I might write about Trent's schooling one day, I have no intention of writing anything beyond where this one concludes.

* * *

**Chapter 1 – The Unscheduled Holiday**

It was a beautiful August day at Godric's Hollow. The inside of number 7 was unlike any of the other houses on the street, however. Upstairs, a tiny bat-like creature called Dobby was rushing around, cleaning up the mess that one of the occupants had left. Not that he minded of course; after all, it was one of the jobs Dobby did best.

Several pictures were scattered along the hallway, most showing the four other residents of the house, but a few contained various other people. These pictures were a little different from normal though; the people in them were moving. The surprises didn't only stop there, all the people who lived in this house were wizards or witches. Even then, it wasn't just an ordinary wizarding home either; it was where a messy black-haired man with glasses named Harry Potter called home.

Harry was the Wizarding world's hero, from basically his first birthday onwards. He had defeated Voldemort, escaping with a scar on his forehead, but his parents had been lost. Harry had then been placed with the only relatives he had left; his mother's sister and her family. His life changed drastically after he had turned eleven when he received a letter, asking him to rejoin the Wizarding world at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

He met his best friends there, as well as several enemies. His time at school was one the hardest any student would likely have to face. It all came to a head in his final year, when Voldemort (who had been reborn at the end of Harry's fourth year) had led an assault on the school. Harry, who had been prophesised as being the only one who could stop the Dark Lord, had been in charge of the defence and he had come out victorious in the end.

He spent the next few years playing Quidditch, choosing to end his career after the 2002 World Cup final. Harry had decided earlier that year that he wanted to go back to Hogwarts, and Remus Lupin, the last remaining friend of his parents, had kindly stepped aside from his position as Defence Professor to allow him to do so. Remus still taught at Hogwarts, taking on the subject of Transfiguration after Minerva McGonagall finally elected to stop teaching, concentrating solely on her role as Headmistress instead.

One of his friends, Hermione Granger, also taught at Hogwarts, and had done so since the end of their final year. The battle had cost the life of the Potions Professor, Severus Snape, so Hermione had stepped up to the plate and taken his place. His other best friend, Ronald Weasley, worked at the Ministry, where he held the position as Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.

Harry was currently downstairs in his home, Marauder's Mansion, rushing frantically around the living room with all sorts of items been carelessly thrown about the room. A red-haired male with freckles stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching the scene in amusement.

"I thought you wanted to leave this morning, Harry."

"Shut up, Ron! I can't find that book of Sirius'!" he snapped back.

"Have you tried Remus' place?"

"Why would Remus have…oh yeah, he borrowed it last year, didn't he?" Harry replied, his face dawning in realisation.

Ron rolled his eyes and shook his head before taking a double glance at the mantelpiece. "Why do you still have that for?"

"What?" Harry replied before turning and looking at what Ron had seen. A card with 'Happy Birthday' written in a large childish scrawl was sitting proudly atop the mantelpiece. "Oh the card Dobby made me. I guess I don't want to break his heart by chucking it out, that's all."

"Uh huh, you mean that you don't want to face Hermione's wrath if you chuck it out."

Harry gave his friend a large smile. "That too. How long are you here for?"

"About another half an hour. Why, do you need something from the Ministry?" Ron asked.

Harry then retreated into the kitchen and made himself a sandwich. "Not really. I just wondered why you were here."

"Well, I left a scouting report here this morning," Ron said as he followed him and took a seat at the table, "So I figured I'd drop in and pick it up during lunch. I really wish you'd reconsider your retirem…"

"Ron, we've been over this many times. I'm _not_ coming back to play! I don't have anything else to prove to myself."

"I'm aware of that, but even you'd have to admit that our performance at the last cup was a joke."

"Granted, it was a bit of a disaster," Harry agreed. England had been knocked out before reaching the round robin matches for the first time in the history of the World Cup.

"I still can't believe you beat Krum to the snitch on your Firebolt, when he had the new Silver Arrow mach 5," Ron replied, fondly remembering the final.

Harry grinned at him, "I preferred me breaking the record on it in the semi."

"Well, that was a brilliant performance too. Are you sure about…"

Harry sighed and cut in. "Yes Ron, I'm positive. I enjoy teaching at Hogwarts."

"I know you do. How's Neville settling in?" Ron asked, changing the topic. Neville had taken over Professor Sprout's job of Herbology Professor last year.

"Pretty well. You know I'm going to be even busier this year since Hooch is asking me to help her with the flying lessons. I think she's planning on retiring soon."

"I'm not surprised. Remus said that she's been there since _he_ went to Hogwarts!"

"So have Minerva and Filius," Harry reminded him.

"True. Anyway, I might as well go now."

"Thanks Ron, hope you'll drop by tomorrow or Sunday."

"I'll try. I'll see if Ginny can come too."

"Is she still considering changing jobs?" Harry asked. Ginny had been a bit unhappy in the Magical beasts department and was thinking about working her way through the Auror academy.

"Yeah, she is, particularly with elections coming up this year. By the way, why did you transfer both your Gringotts accounts to Australia?"

Harry shrugged. "Better interest rates. Besides, for some odd reason, I find dealing with wizards and witches a little easier than the goblins. Griphook's alright, but the others can be a bit difficult to deal with."

Ron had to admit that Harry made a good point and let out a chuckle. "Fair enough. Anyway, I'll see you later, ok?"

"No worries. Bye Ron."

Ron nodded before disappearing with a 'crack', leaving Harry sitting at the table by himself.

"Well, I guess I should floo over to Remus' and grab that book," he mused out loud.

* * *

"You know, you really should write that out properly" Harry told her, pointing at the word 'cclockwise', which Hermione had elected to write instead of 'counter-clockwise'. 

"Oh do be quiet, Harry. They're only my draft notes! I'll write them out properly later!" she snapped back.

"Ok, but you need to get some rest, Hermione. You look like you haven't slept since…"

"I know, Harry. It's just that I feel that I have to keep going, that's all," she cut in.

"Still, there's no reason why you can't get some rest. I mean, the term doesn't start for another week."

She sighed. "You're right, you're right. I pretty much ambushed you as soon as you arrived."

"I'll say! I've still got my trunk in my pocket!"

Hermione smiled as he said this. No sooner had Harry walked through the front gates, she had dragged him off to help her with a highly advanced potion that she had been working on for the last five years. Hermione had decided to try to recreate the effects of a timeturner into a potion. Her first attempts had not gone so well, but lately she felt she had, at last, been getting somewhere.

"Just go and get some rest, Hermione. Even if it's only a couple of hours. I can get Remus to help me if I get stuck."

Hermione looked at him gratefully before accepting his offer. She headed off towards her bedroom, leaving Harry to continue to assemble the incredibly long list of ingredients. He was so absorbed in it, that he all but jumped when a hand was placed on his shoulder.

Harry whirled around and met a highly amused Remus.

"Am I interrupting?" he politely asked.

Harry glared before he slowly smiled back. "Not at all. How's married life treating you?"

"Pretty good" Remus replied. He had married a witch by the name of Bernadine Whittaker a little over two months ago, just as the holidays began. She had been two years younger than Remus, and they had met briefly during his final year. They had been together for the past three years, and both had decided it was time to take their relationship to the next level.

"That's wonderful to hear. Could you help me with this please?"

Remus arched an eyebrow, and Harry had to chuckle. "Don't worry, Remus. Despite your rather latent Potions skills," Harry then ignored Remus' growl, "even _you_ should be able to follow Hermione's instructions. All you have to do is stir after I've added the final mandrake skin."

Remus reluctantly agreed, and quickly skimmed over the instructions while Harry finished crushing the mandrake skins. Hermione had been very specific in her instructions, and had repeatedly told Harry that everything had to be done absolutely perfectly or the whole potion would be useless. Harry had even wondered whether or not Severus' spirit had somehow been transferred over to her, such was her dedication to Potions. In fact, Hermione had quickly become one of the most talented Potion Masters since her predecessor.

The current potion they were working on was to take the drinker back half an hour in time. To achieve this, the potion would have to be stirred exactly thirty times, one for each minute. Harry added the skins and Remus made sure he stirred exactly how Hermione's instructions said; slowly and evenly. He stopped after carefully counting out thirty rotations and they both watched intently as the potion changed from its previous thick purple state, to a much thinner pink texture.

Harry scooped out a spoonful and carefully poured it into a goblet before looking at Remus.

"Do you want the honours?"

"How about we both take it? We've got more than enough for two people," he suggested.

Harry agreed and filled another goblet before sliding it over to Remus who sniffed it cautiously.

"It doesn't smell too bad," he mused.

"I know, kind of minty isn't it?" Harry added.

They both then raised their goblets before gulping it down as quickly as possible, for they both knew that Potions could taste far worse than they smelt.

No sooner had they done this, both of them felt the room begin to spin. Harry experienced a similar sensation to when he and Hermione had used her timeturner in his third year. The only difference was that this appeared to be taking far longer than then, and everything appeared to be happening at a significantly increased pace. It was too much for Harry, who quickly blacked out with Remus soon following suit.

* * *

Hermione groaned as she slowly got up and made her way into her private lab were she was quite perplexed to find it empty. 

'Maybe Harry left to unpack. Odd though that he didn't store it first,' she thought as she inspected the potion sitting on the bench.

Her look of curiosity was soon replaced by one of shock. The potion should have been a deep blue colour, not pink like the one in the cauldron.

'Oh well, I'd better store this before it goes off. Besides, he couldn't have gone…'

Her thoughts were broken when she spotted an error in her list. Her eyes widened as she did some quick calculations and discovered what must have happened. If she was right, and, more often than not, she was, Harry had travelled thirty _years_ instead of thirty minutes.

* * *

As Harry blinked open his eyes, he found Remus doing the same thing 

"Merlin, I didn't expect it to be like _that_," he exclaimed, looking over at Remus who was now rubbing the back of his head.

"I'll say," Remus answered before looking around his surroundings. "Harry, that potion doesn't change your location as well, does it?"

"No, just the time. But that doesn't explain why the room is empty," he replied, looking around the bare room himself.

"I was just thinking that. Let's see if it worked then," Remus said before withdrawing his wand. "Tempus calendus."

A gold mist shot from his wand which soon formed into the time and date: 10:43pm, August 24, 2037.

"How can _that_ be?'! It was supposed to take us _back_ half an hour, not forward thirty ruddy _years_!"

"I…I don't know, Harry," Remus said, looking completely baffled.

"I can explain that," a voice from behind them announced.

They both turned and came face-to-face with a middle-aged woman with honeycomb eyes.

"After all, I was the one who created it," she added, smiling at them.

Realisation soon dawned on Harry who stared, while Remus also quickly figured out what was going on.

"Hermione?" he asked.

The woman smiled again and nodded.


	2. Chapter 2 – Getting With The Times

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

And what was the event that I said I'd explain? A certain werewolf's wedding day of course! I know in HBP that he and Tonks got together…but I have good reason for putting him with who I did. Pity that you'll have to wait a fair while to read it, lol!

Oh, yes that means I actually have pairings in my story…which (as you might have guessed) is highly 'uncanon' (is that even a word?). I had planned it like this before HBP was released, and I intend to stick to that original train of thought…hope you don't mind.

And yup, they'll be staying for a while here. I've read heaps of 'Harry goes back in time and meets his parents' and 'Harry from the future goes back in time to save everyone from being killed' fics…guess I just wanted to do something a bit different _(shrug)_. Also, you may have noticed that this story is rated higher than its predecessors…I did that for reasons you shall find out later on.

Er, I guess I should put up the full summary: _A decade on from defeating Voldemort, Harry and his friends are finally able to relax. However, it seems as though fate has other ideas for the young saviour. A freak accident sends Harry and Remus through time, where they are again faced with a Wizarding world at war. Despite being able to get back home, and with the odds stacked heavily against them, they elect to stay and help with the fight. Can Harry prove, once and for all, that he is one of the greatest wizards in history?_

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Getting With The Times**

Harry and Remus were sitting across from Hermione, who was Headmistress now, with stunned looks on their faces. She had just finished telling them both what had taken her five years to figure out.

"You mean that each stir was a _year_ and not a minute!" Harry remarked.

"And that it _wasn't_ a spelling mistake!" Remus exclaimed.

"I'm afraid not, Remus. You were right after all, Harry. I should have just written the whole word, that way Remus wouldn't have stirred it clockwise."

"Oh sure, let's all just blame _me_!"

"No one's blaming you, Remus. Besides, I should have told you to stir it the other way. It was my fault more than…"

"Actually, Harry, it was my fault for not realising my mistake earlier. How about we just agree that all three of us were to blame?"

The three of them nodded and agreed that each of them had been to blame for this. Hermione then sighed and proceeded to tell them what had transpired in the past thirty years.

The magical creatures felt their assistance in the Hogwarts battle had been all but ignored. This came to a head a few months after Remus and Harry disappeared, when Cornelius Fudge managed to win another term as Minister. He had named Delores Umbridge (who had been released from St Mungo's having made a full recovery) as the new Head of the Magical Beasts Department, a move which had infuriated Ginny and she had immediately switched over to begin her Auror training. Fudge then passed a new decree, one which declared that no creatures were to be allowed to work in the Ministry or at Hogwarts.

This meant that Firenze was out of a job, along with Hagrid (the house elves had been the sole exception of this new decree). The centaurs and spiders that lived in the forest were outraged at this, and had started an underground movement intent on taking on the Ministry. In the space of six years, they had managed to get the giants, trolls, werewolves, vampires, and numerous other creatures to aid their cause.

They bided their time before attacking, but when they did, it had been swift and brutal. The Ministry fell first, with Diagon Alley soon following. Both were now in the control of the vampires, who had taken over leadership of the underground movement, which they called the Midnight Order.

The wizards and witches were able to stem the tide of the attacks, but when the Dementors switched sides, they had been forced to go on to the defensive. The reason they had switched sides was due to the vampires who appealed to the fact that they had not had anyone to feast on in well over a decade, and that Harry wasn't there to stop them.

The fight soon stretched across the continent, and had only come to a standstill six years ago. The only safe sanctuaries left throughout Europe were the main schools; Hogwarts (and Hogsmeade), Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Communication through the floo network had been cut off, the reason being that all fireplaces on the network were being watched.

No one dared to stay out past sunset, fearful of being attacked by both the vampires and werewolves. Many families had pulled their children out of the schools, electing instead to teach them at home. Those that did remain (mainly muggleborns and halfbloods) had been forced to stay at the schools all year round, with visits by loved ones being very carefully monitored. The schools had all but been turned into a training camp, with Aurors co-teaching all the subjects with the Professors.

After she had finished, Harry and Remus just sat there in shock, trying to process everything they had just been told.

"You _have_ to be kidding me!"

"I'm afraid not, Harry. The situation as of now is critical."

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair, before turning to Remus. "What do you think we should do?"

"I don't know, Harry. I mean, as Hermione said at the start, we can just go back with the potion, but…it's up to you, I don't mind either way. Clearly we would be of great assistance to those here."

Harry nodded. "True, and besides, what if we go back and can't change anything either. I think we should stay."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when he said this.

"Very well, Harry. Any ideas how we can help, Hermione?" Remus asked.

"Well, we heard from Durmstrang two days ago…"

"How? I thought you said communications had been cut off?" Harry interrupted.

"They are, but we use Fawkes to send information to each other," she explained.

"Smart thinking" Remus said, smiling that his familiar had been used so thoughtfully.

Hermione smiled back before furrowing her brow. "The one thing that bothers me the most is that sometime in the course of the last eight years, the vampires have evolved."

"Evolved? What do you mean?" Harry enquired.

"They aren't affected by the solar burst charm anymore."

"What about Lumos Maxima?"

"No effect either, Remus."

The three of them sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts before Hermione spoke. "You don't have to stay, you know."

"But we…"

"No, Harry. Look, I know you've said you will, but at least hear me out," she pleaded.

Harry relented and gestured for her to continue.

"You can change this."

"But what if…" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off.

"Two weeks after you vanished, a poll was taken for who would be best suited to be Minister. Eighty-three percent of people voted for you, Harry."

"Me? I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to…"

"You're a natural leader, Harry, just like your father was," Remus cut in.

"But…but I…I know _nothing_ about politics!"

"Perhaps not, but you don't need to. If you've got a good group of people around you, you don't really need to do that much," Hermione reasoned.

Harry still looked dubious. "How do you know that we aren't _meant_ to be here though? What if we're not _supposed_ to go back? Besides, you told me that terrible things happen to wizards who meddle with time."

Hermione couldn't help but smile. "I can't believe you remembered that! But coming from a legend like yourself…"

"A legend? I'd hardly call myself…"

He was cut off when Hermione raised her wand and pointed it towards the bookshelf.

"Accio Legends Series. Here, take a look at this then" she said, handing Harry a folder that had landed on her desk.

He eyed the title of it and was immediately intrigued; 'Chocolate Frog Cards - Legends Series'.

He opened the first page and wasn't really surprised to find Merlin staring back at him. He flicked through the next few pages (containing the four founders and Dumbledore) and his eyes bulged when he spotted a very familiar figure looking back at him. They were wearing a black robe with gold and maroon patterns, had messy black hair, and bright green eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses. He turned the page over to see what had been written.

_Harry James Potter, currently his location is unknown._

"Location unknown?" Remus questioned.

"Well, the card was first circulated a year after you two vanished," she explained, and both wizards nodded in understanding.

_Thought by many to be the most powerful wizard in the modern era, Potter is famous for defeating the Dark Lord, Voldemort (see the Dark Lords series), not once, but several times, culminating in the battle of Hogwarts in 1998. He is also regarded as one of the greatest Quidditch seekers to play the game, and, to this day, has the record of the fastest ever capture of the golden snitch. He retired from the sport after the 2002 World Cup final, electing to take on the Defence Against the Dark Arts position at Hogwarts. Professor Potter enjoys flying and riding his Godfather's motorcycle (a muggle contraption)._

_Famous quote – "I don't go looking for trouble, trouble usually finds me."_

"Nice quote, Harry," Remus said, a broad smile on his face, while Harry gave him a glare.

"I wouldn't say that if I were you, Remus. Turn over three pages," Hermione advised.

Harry did, and grinned as he saw that Remus also had a card. He was dressed in his silver robe, and it was Harry who now had the large smile on his face as he read through Remus' description.

_Remus John Lupin, currently his location is unknown._

_Assisted Harry Potter greatly during the battle of Hogwarts in 1998. Lupin is fondly remembered as being one of the best Professors ever to have taught at Hogwarts, as well as being a highly dedicated worker. He is perhaps most recognised for being the only werewolf in history to have been cured, and also being part of the infamous Marauders during his own schooling days (see the Troublemakers series). He stepped down from the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, choosing instead to teach Transfiguration. Professor Lupin enjoys eating chocolate and curling up by the fire with a good book to read._

_Famous quote – "I won't deny that I am a werewolf."_

"If you say one word, Harry, I _won't_ hesitate to do what Voldemort could not," he threatened before asking Hermione, "do I even want to ask about this 'Troublemakers series'?"

"Actually, it's one of the most sought after collections," she replied.

"Why is that, Hermione?" Harry asked, still trying to not laugh at the memory of what happened last time Remus was reading in front of the fire. He wasn't expecting Harry to floo, and had been startled enough to tip the chair over. To make matters worse, the book he had been reading slipped from his hands and did a graceful arc before whacking Remus in the face as he lay pinned beneath his chair. Harry, of course, after getting over his initial shock, had been too busy laughing to help Remus from his predicament, while the older wizard insisted on being warned in future to prevent a repeat occurrence.

"Here, take a look for yourselves," she answered, handing Harry another folder titled 'Troublemakers Series'.

They weren't really surprised to see that Peeves had his own card. When they came to the one for the Marauders, Remus had to smile. Not only did it show the four of them, the card had also been able to recreate their animal transformations as well. He then looked horrified as their pictures then morphed into what Remus had done during their Marauder war, only it had been charmed to show all four of them in revealing frilly dresses.

_The Marauders, also known as 'Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs'._

_These four dashing wizards, consisting of Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and James Potter, created all sorts of carnage during their time at Hogwarts. Pettigrew, Black and Potter are the three youngest wizards to become animagi (unregistered ones at that), achieving this feat midway through their fifth year. Their reasoning behind doing this was to help Lupin through his painful werewolf transformations. Their other main achievement was The Marauder's Map, a map which shows the location of the entire Hogwarts grounds, and all the people within it. It is even rumoured to be able to see through invisibility cloaks and Polyjuice potion._

_Most remembered for – their final ever Hogwarts prank, where they elected to target the Professors. All students who witnessed this insist it was the most hilarious sight they had ever seen._

The next page saw Harry, Ron and Hermione gracing a card together. Unlike the Marauder one, the three of them did not do anything quite as embarrassing, and just stood there smiling and waving.

_Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, also known as 'the Gryffindor trio'._

"I don't recall ever hearing that."

"It's what the Slytherins used to call us apparently."

"Oh," Harry replied before reading the rest of the card.

_These three friends have gone down in the record books as being the only group of students to break every single Hogwarts rule; including visiting the opposite sexes dormitory._

"You never mentioned that little fact, Harry. Definitely Sirius' Godson," Remus said, grinning at Harry who scowled back at him.

"That was me actually, Remus," Hermione answered. "I visited him and Ron in their dorms one year."

_They are credited with saving the Philosopher's Stone from ending up in the hands of Voldemort, as well as uncovering the terrible truth behind Pettigrew's betrayal of the Potters. Other achievements include starting a rebel Defence group in their fifth year, while Potter and Weasley are the only wizards in history to have flown a muggle vehicle to Hogwarts, instead of taking the Hogwarts Express._

_Most remembered for – the end of their fifth year, where these three were heavily involved in the removal of Delores Umbridge from her position as Headmistress. Their fellow students have said this was perhaps their greatest achievement during their time at Hogwarts._

A few cards later pictured two redheads, both waving enthusiastically at them, and both sporting long white beards. Harry smiled as he realised the picture had been based on their appearances after they had tried to sneak their names into the tournament back in his fourth year.

_Fred and George Weasley, also known as 'Gred and Forge'._

_These two twins were perhaps the second most well known pranksters (behind the Marauders) ever to grace to halls of Hogwarts. Always looking to be the centre of attention, it was of little surprise when they both elected to start up their own joke shop, and tackling the already well-established Zonko's. Some of their items include fake wands, portable swamps, as well as the very popular Wizards' glowing garb. Two of the few students in history to have not completed their education despite not being expelled._

_Most remembered for – their Hogwarts exit, where they mounted their broomsticks and, apparently, dive-bombed Delores Umbridge and pelted her with stink pellets, before shooting through the front doors._

The final card of the set featured Harry and Remus, whose pictures quickly did the fusion charm before transforming.

_Harry Potter and Remus Lupin, also known as 'Harremus'._

_These two wizards are both incredible wizards and mischief makers in their own right, but this effect is significantly multiplied after they have fused into this new being. Only ever seen once (during the battle of Hogwarts), his greatest achievement was taunting Voldemort before throwing him into the front gates. Anyone who has the audacity to do this to a Dark Lord is more than worthy to be called a troublemaker._

_Most remembered for – being rather disappointed with Voldemort's (lack of) power in comparison to himself, which led to the abovementioned throwing incident._

Harry looked up from reading and grinned at Remus. "I reckon they got that spot on."

"Completely agree, Harry. My werewolf strength helped quite a bit to do that," he replied, smiling as he remembered that moment.

"I'll say! I wasn't even sure if he'd _make_ it to the gates!"

They both then looked at each other before laughing, with Hermione shaking her head and muttering "boys" under her breath.

But, despite their somewhat jovial mood, it had taken Hermione only hours to bring them up-to-date with the chilling reality; the Wizarding world's wonderful feeling of euphoria after Harry's defeat of Voldemort had disappeared.


	3. Chapter 3 – Son Of A Witch!

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Yes, so it's a rubbish name for the 'bad guys' in this fic, but I really couldn't think of anything else!

I had a lot of fun writing the cards out, let me tell you! They have yet to meet anyone apart from Hermione…that's about to change (and no, I haven't spelt the name wrong, so don't bother telling me, ok). Also, Harry finally does something everyone expected him to do a long time ago.

And, again, all reviews are read and muchly appreciated…not that I can reply to your reviews through the chappies since that is FFN's policy, but I will try and respond to those of you who ask questions through that 'reply' feature :)

Ta, Destroyer, I've uploaded it again so hopefully it works this time.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Son Of A Witch!**

Harry and Remus were currently sitting in the common room of their quarters which Hermione had specially prepared for them when she had figured out what had happened to them. They each were still coming to grips with everything that Hermione had told them. Both were wondering if staying was the right choice, but Harry had told Remus that leaving would be the easy way out. Remus had agreed with this, and both had accepted Hermione's offer of helping with classes when they felt they were ready.

They were brought from their thoughts when Hermione came through the portrait.

"I forgot to tell you that any suggestions you might have would be gratefully welcomed."

They both nodded, and Remus voiced the most obvious decision he had made.

"The Order needs to be…"

"It's already been reformed, Remus. But our numbers are still far too few."

"I was going to say it needs to be extended, Hermione. Open it to fifth years and above," he advised.

"But…"

"This isn't a time to argue, Hermione. Remus is right, we need all the members we can get."

Remus raised an eyebrow and smiled. "_We_, Harry? I didn't think you wanted to join the Order last time."

Harry smiled in return. "True, but circumstances change. Last time I knew what had to be done, whereas this time around, it seems no one really knows what to do. I'll join if you allow me to."

"You know you didn't need to ask, but I think we have a spot for you," he said before addressing Hermione. "Do you have a list of what year all the students are in?"

Hermione looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure. Follow me back to my office and I'll have a look."

They quickly agreed, and the three of them made their way to the familiar gargoyle. They met no one on their way since it was just after three o'clock in the morning. Hermione didn't need to say the password, as the statue recognised her and moved aside instantly to allow them access.

Hermione rifled through her files, trying to find a list, but could only find the one showing the names of all this years new students. Just as she finished looking, Harry had a sudden thought.

"Hang on, I'll be right back," he said before disappearing in a flash of orange, returning a few minutes later with the Marauder's Map. He spoke the password, and spread it out on the desk.

"Shall we get started then?" he asked, while Remus and Hermione nodded their agreement.

* * *

Harry scanned the map, checking to see how many people they may be able to ask to join the Order. He was rattling off names to Hermione, who knew what year they were in, and if they'd be able to help or not.

"Cassandra Michaels?"

"No, third year."

"Simon Hewat?"

"You said him five minutes ago. He's _still_ a second year."

"Right, sorry. Donovan Mallise?"

"No, he's…actually, he might be able to. He's usually top of the class in Charms and Defence, but he's only a fourth year."

Harry wrote his name down anyway and looked back to the map for the next name.

"Brendan Durs…WHAT?'!"

Hermione looked at Harry questionably who had a stunned look on his face.

"Dursley? Er, any relation to my cousin?"

Her face was one of recognition as she nodded. "Yes, he's Dudley's son. I completely forgot to mention it before. He's in his third year now."

"Right…how did Dudley take it?"

"Pretty well actually. He and his wife are…"

"He's married?"

"Yes, he is. Been married for nearly twenty years now I believe."

"Oh," he replied, making a mental note to find some way to contact his cousin.

Remus then took over scanning the map from a grateful, and still dazed, Harry. He got through a handful of names before it was Remus' turn to be shocked.

"Tobius Lu…Lupin. I…I have a son?" he whispered.

"Oh my, I'm _so_ sorry, Remus!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes widening in horror. "How could I be so careless! I cannot _believe_ I didn't tell you earlier! I meant to of course, but…"

"You were a little preoccupied filling both of us in, Hermione. What year's he in?" Harry interrupted, completely forgetting the fact that he and Remus had skipped forward thirty years.

Hermione shook her head. "He graduated about ten years ago. He's been teaching Arithmancy for the last two years. He was Gryffindor prefect and Head Boy."

Remus placed the map back on the table and fell back in his chair, his mind a whirl of thoughts. He and Bernadine had married two months before Remus and Harry took their unplanned trip, but Remus hadn't known that she had been pregnant. He closed his eyes, trying to force back tears as he realised his son had grown up never knowing him. He knew Bernadine would have told him everything, and wondered if he had inherited Remus' lycanthropy.

"Is he…like I was?" he croaked out, interrupting Harry who had restarted reading names.

Hermione closed her eyes in sorrow and sighed before answering him. "Yes he is, but the advances in the Wolfsbane have done wonders…"

"But he isn't cured like I am! I should've been there for him!" he angrily interrupted.

"You are now, Remus. I've got Trent's notes. We can go through them and make the same cure for him that Trent did for you," Harry reasoned.

Remus slowly nodded, before excusing himself. He went back into his quarters and paced around the room. So many emotions welled up inside him; anger at himself for not being there for his son. Hurt towards his wife that she had not told him she was pregnant. Frustration at knowing that his own son had to suffer through the same transformations like he himself had. Remus sat down on the couch in front of the empty fire and buried his head in his hands.

He couldn't do anything to quell the tears that had started to run down his face, nor did he want to. Trent had told him long ago that tears cleanse the soul, which was exactly what he needed to do. Remus then slammed his fists down on the table in front of him, smashing it in half. He got up and overturned the lounge he had been sitting in, before setting his sights on a nearby vase. He hurled it at the wall, watching in satisfaction as it shattered on impact. Remus then stalked into his bedroom and slammed the door behind him.

This was where Harry found him two hours later. Lying on his bed in the dark, and unnervingly quiet.

"Er, Remus?"

No answer.

He tried to lighten the mood a bit. "I repaired the vase and table. You don't know how they broke by any chance, do you?"

Still nothing. If it wasn't for Harry being able to faintly hear him breathing, he may have thought him to be dead.

He walked out of the room, and Remus could hear him talking quietly to someone outside. Two people then entered his room, with Remus picking up Harry's scent, as well as one that seemed oddly familiar.

"D…Dad?"

Remus couldn't stop a single tear from sliding down his face as he slowly stood up and whispered "son?"

"Torca Ignis," Harry softly said, and Remus' room lit up instantly.

Remus blinked, focussing his sight on the person standing next to Harry. He was about the same height as himself, and had longish light brown hair, with flecks of grey already starting to show. His face had four nearly parallel scars across it, stretching from his right temple to just under the left side of his lip, indicating that he had scratched himself badly there during one of his monthly transformations. His eyes were grey, 'just like Bernadine's are' Remus thought. Apart from this and the scars though, Tobius could easily pass as a younger version of himself.

Remus was a little unsure about what he should do. His brain was screaming for him to at least say something, _anything_, to his son, but he couldn't find the right words. He also wasn't sure if he trusted his voice at this stage, as he could feel a lump beginning to form in his throat. Remus was caught completely unawares when Tobius launched himself at him, throwing his arms around his neck like his life depended on it. Remus quickly returned the embrace, the lump in his throat growing even larger as he held his son in his arms for the very first time, with tears streaming down both their faces.

* * *

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"It wasn't your fault, Dad. Besides, you're here now, and that's all that matters to me."

He smiled. "I do hope your mother only told you good things about me."

Tobius' face fell at the mention of his mother and he closed his eyes in sorrow. "She…she couldn't tell me anything," he softly replied.

Remus was puzzled. 'Why couldn't she tell him anything?' he wondered.

Harry asked the same question, and Tobius answered so quietly that even Remus could barely pick up what he said.

"What…what did you say?" he managed to say.

"She died just after giving birth to me," he repeated a little louder, but still scarcely above a murmur.

"H…How?" Remus whispered.

Tobius closed his eyes again before answering. "From what I've been told, she was so distraught that you weren't there, that she basically wasted away. You could say she died of a broken heart."

Remus stumbled back in disbelief, tears threatening to overwhelm him again. Harry quickly embraced his friend and let Remus use him for support as he wept, with Tobius watching in silence. He had grown up in Marauder's Mansion, with Ginny, Ron and Hermione trying their best to care for him. Dobby was an enormous help during the times all of them were unable to be with him, while he learnt a lot from the portrait of Lily and the Marauders about his parents.

Initially they weren't sure if he was a werewolf, but after burning his hand using silver cutlery once, they had then found that those born to one would not begin to transform until they turned ten years old. When it came time for his transformations, he had been fortunate to have Hermione brew the Wolfsbane potion for him, making his suffering far easier. He shuddered every time they had told him his father had to go through the same process without the potion for nearly thirty years. But nothing else mattered to him right now, as he finally had the chance to get to know one of the two people who meant everything to him; his father had returned.


	4. Chapter 4 – Friendly Reunion

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

C'mon, I had to have that, didn't I! You should have gotten the hint that something like that would happen…after all, I told you Remus was married in the first chapter!Oh, another thing; chapter 6. That's the one that has Remus' wedding day in it…just wondering which (or should that be 'witch', lol) version I should post; the one that finishes before nightfall, or the longer one…and I don't think anyone needs to use their imagination to know what I mean by that, lolol!

I put in the bit about him not experiencing his first transformation until he was ten, mainly because…er, well, I dunno really. I just kind of like that idea, that's all _(shrug)_

At least by ten, he would have some idea of what was happening to him. I know I'm wrong on that (after all, Remus was bitten when he was a young boy), but…that is just me. And don't worry, I do go into more depth about it in a later chapter (13 from memory).

I quite like this chapter. It features Harry and Remus chatting to each other…I just find it really easy to have them interact with each other. They are so very similar, yet different. Also, they'll be introduced back into Hogwarts properly.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Friendly Reunion**

Harry and Remus had been back for three full days, with only Hermione and Tobius knowing they were. Hermione had called for a school meeting to be held the next day, and currently the two time travellers were sitting in their quarters, still trying to process everything that had happened to them.

"It's just our luck that we end up in the middle of a war…again!"

Remus sighed, for this had been nearly all Harry had been complaining about the entire day.

"Would you rather we had gone back thirty years?"

"Yeah, at least then we'd know _exactly_ what was going on!"

"Yes, I'm sure you would have found it very easy to see your parents alive."

"Right! It would have…wait, what did you say?"

Remus just shook his head, "you heard me. If we travelled back instead of forward, we would have found ourselves in 1977. And in that case, we would have had to be very careful to _not_ change anything," he answered.

Harry slumped back on the lounge.

"Look, I know this won't be easy, Harry…"

"It's not that, Remus. Well, not only that. It's just that I thought everything would be fine after Voldemort was gone. I just hoped that life would be…I don't know…"

"Perfect?" he supplied, and Harry nodded.

"Nothing ever works out like that, Harry. Everyone thought the same thing when Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, then along came Voldemort. This is just another challenge that we need to face…"

"But that's just it!" Harry cut in. "We _don't_ need to face it. Hermione said we can go back!"

"Are you having second thoughts about staying?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, you know that."

Silence greeted his comment before Harry spoke again. "But I still think that…"

"We're doing what is right, as opposed to what's easy. I know, Harry, you've said that before," Remus finished.

Harry sighed and slouched back again. "I hate having to be the one that everyone relies on."

"Would you rather everyone forgot you? To live your life in the shadow of someone else. Not being able to make any difference in anything."

Harry looked at his friend in curiosity, as he had a somewhat distant look in his eyes.

"Living in the shadow? What are you…you aren't talking about yourself are you?"

Remus closed his eyes, and Harry glared at him. "Remus, for Merlin's sake, you made all the difference in the ruddy world! You fought right beside me! Without your help, Voldemort never would have been defea…"

"You did it all by yourself, Harry," he interrupted.

"_Don't_ give me that rubbish! We've talked about this before, if it wasn't for you, Sirius _and_ me would be dead, Remus, dead! I wanted to jump in right after him!" Harry nearly shouted.

"You nearly were anyway," he sadly replied, referring to Harry's third year.

"Yeah, but _your_ teaching me the Patronus saved us. Don't do this, Remus. Don't put yourself down like that! The fact that you were, remember that word, Remus, _were_, a werewolf was probably the key behind everything that happened."

"How so?" he softly enquired.

"Well, because of that, Dad, Sirius and Peter all became animagi. That led to Peter being able to frame Sirius, but it also allowed Sirius to escape from Azkaban."

"It also meant that Peter eluded us that night. I should have taken my…"

"But you didn't. And _because_ you didn't, Peter owed me a life debt, which he paid. Don't you _ever_ blame yourself for those things, Remus. Knowing you, you probably even blamed yourself for Sirius' death."

Harry chuckled when he said that, but noticed that Remus nodded his head.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, don't tell me you _did_ blame yourself?"

"I should have tried harder to convince him to stay home," Remus admitted.

Harry snorted, "yeah, we all know how much he loved _that_ idea. Tell me what you would have done in his place."

Remus made to reply, but found he didn't really have an answer.

Harry nodded, "I thought so. You told me that the only person to blame for his passing was Voldemort. You know that I'm more responsible for it than you were. If I'd listened to Hermione, or if I'd just practised Occlumency harder, or if I'd even opened his ruddy present, it might not have happened, but it did. I miss him too, Remus, don't forget that."

A single tear trickled down Remus' face as he knew that everything Harry had said was true.

"I wasn't even there for Tobius…"

"You would have been if we hadn't taken the potion. I should never have agreed with the idea of both of us taking it."

"But it was my fault for suggesting it."

"Hardly. We both screwed up, how does that sound?"

Remus sighed again and closed his eyes. "I'd have made a terrible father. I mean, look at me. I'm being consoled by my best friends' son."

Harry shook his head. "No, you're wrong. You're kind and forgiving, but know where to draw the line."

Harry then stood up, moving over and resting a hand on Remus' shoulder. "You're always there when I need someone to talk to, so were Ron and Hermione of course, but it's different with them. I'm sure you would have done the exact same thing with Tobius as you've done for me. You may not think it, but you've basically been my father for the past ten years, Remus. I think you've done a wonderful job."

He then headed off to his bedroom for the night, leaving Remus alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Harry and Remus were patiently waiting outside the doors to the Great Hall. Harry had a set of extendable ears (which he had found in his trunk), and both the wizards were currently listening in to their reintroduction by Hermione. She had let them know who was on the staff, so as to what kind of reception to expect. 

"What odds on Ron interrupting her?"

"About the same as the odds that Tonks will be the one who shoots at us first I'd say, Harry."

"Point taken. You reckon anyone will figure it out?"

"Of course, my son will," Remus replied with a smile, while Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly.

Tobius had been the only other person who knew the true story of their disappearance. They had both been amazed when Hermione told them that she had made sure not to tell anyone what had happened, not even informing people that she had been the last to see them. She couldn't believe that they had accidentally travelled thirty years through time, and she didn't want her mistake listed as the cause of their departure. But now that they were back, she had little choice but to face the music.

Harry and Remus adjusted their cloaks, making sure that no one would recognise them. They both then settled back to wait for the right moment to make their entrance.

* * *

Hermione stood up to address all those gathered in the hall. All the Professors and Aurors had demanded her to tell them why she had scheduled this meeting, but Hermione had merely smiled at them, saying that all would be revealed soon. 

She cleared her throat to begin. "As most of you will know, thirty years ago, Remus Lupin and Harry Potter disappeared from the Wizarding world. Less than ten years later, the war we are currently in began. It was rumoured that Harry and Remus even led the attack; after all, we were up against centaurs, vampires, giants, trolls, werewolves, and, eventually, Dementors. I can tell you for a fact that those two are not to be blamed in any way for this."

"How could you possibly know that they aren't against us?" Tonks asked.

Hermione gave her a grim smile in return. "Because I was responsible for their disappearance, although I wasn't to know that back then."

"What happened?" Tobius innocently asked.

She glanced at him before continuing. "The story begins thirty-five years ago, when I got the insane idea about trying to reproduce the effects of a timeturner in a potion. My first attempts were not successful…"

"Then why are you telling us all this?" Ron asked with a puzzled look on his face.

She closed her eyes and sighed. "It will make sense when I've finished. Please, this isn't easy for me to explain."

Ron nodded, and apologised for interrupting.

"However, I eventually discovered what I had been doing wrong, and made a few adjustments. Harry and Remus were my unwilling test subjects..."

"Unwilling? Whoops, sorry Hermione," Tonks sheepishly replied.

She merely smiled back, "yes, unwilling. The potion was designed to take the person who drank it back half an hour in time. But I had made an error in my calculations, it hadn't worked as I intended."

Everyone waited for her to continue, but Hermione sat back down at this point.

"Well? What happened then?'!" Draco, now the Potions Professor, angrily asked.

At that moment, the doors to the Great Hall banged open and two figures entered. Both wore long black cloaks, with hoods covering their faces.

"Mr Potter and Mr Lupin were not sent back half an hour," one of the duo answered.

All the staff and the Aurors had their wands pointed at the two newcomers, and it was Kingsley who spoke. "Who are you, and why are you here?" he demanded.

One of the figures laughed, before speaking again. "Put that thing away Kingsley, we're here to help."

The Auror looked stunned at being called by name, but didn't lower his wand, nor did the others.

One of the cloaked figures then turned to the other. "You know, I expected to be blocking a few curses before now."

"That can be arranged," Tonks growled, before she and Kingsley shot stunning charms at them. Both figures easily dodged them, but didn't draw their wands in retaliation.

"Now, now, _Nymphadora_. You always were a bit impatient."

Tonks' eyes flashed in anger at being called that, and she quickly raised her wand again, but found it had been summoned into the hands of one of the intruders.

"Perhaps you didn't catch what my friend said earlier. We're here to help you."

"So far, you're not doing a very good job of proving that," Draco coolly replied, his wand trained directly on the heart of the man who had spoken.

The other male snorted. "Yeah, we gathered that. How about this then; we know _exactly_ what happened to Mr Lupin and Mr Potter."

Gasps echoed around the hall as he said this, before several people asked the obvious question of how they knew.

"Simple, they stuffed up. Instead of the potion taking them back thirty minutes, it took them forward thirty years."

Both figures then lowered their hoods, and the amused faces of Harry and Remus met the astonished looks of everyone else.

Harry then spoke, "but we're glad to be back."


	5. Chapter 5 – The Enigma

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Oh, and Draco is now fully on the Light side. He's had 30 years to turn 'good', so…yeah. Does that make him OOC I wonder?

lolol, thanks, Shadow! I just thought I should let you know...better to be informed than have it sprung on you ;)

* * *

**Chapter 5 – The Enigma**

"Blimey! It's Harry Potter and Remus Lupin!" someone cried out.

Whispers quickly broke out throughout the room as the duo made their way to the staff table. As they sat down, they both noticed that everyone was still staring at them in shock.

"What?" Harry asked with a smile on his face.

"_What_? What do you mean 'what'?'! We haven't seen you for thirty years and _that's_ all you can say!" Ron exclaimed.

"Er, hi?"

Ron banged his head on the table, while Remus and Harry shared a smile.

"Tell us something that only the two of you would know?" Kingsley asked.

"You had to restrain me on my wedding day from chasing after Harry," Remus answered and Kingsley just nodded his approval.

"Good to have you back gentlemen. I just had to make sure that…"

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Harry bellowed, making nearly everyone jump in surprise.

"I think what Harry _meant_ to say, Kingsley, is that we understand your point of view completely," Remus replied, shaking his head slightly at Harry who was grinning madly.

"Don't do that again, Potter. I just had a horrible flashback to our fourth year," Draco said, shuddering slightly.

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at this, remembering all to well when the fake Mad-Eye Moody transfigured Draco into a ferret and started bouncing him around the hall.

Remus and Hermione then shared a look, and the Headmistress quickly got everyone's attention.

"Thank you. As one of the few people who has had any experience at leading the Order of the Phoenix is now back with us, I would like to formally hand over leadership to Remus."

"I graciously accept the offer, Hermione. I am guessing that since she introduced the topic, that all of you are aware of the Order?"

Everyone, students and Professors alike, all nodded.

Remus smiled. "Good, then in that case, I would like to announce that Harry has decided to join this time around, and that membership is open to all fifth year students and above. Please talk to your Head of House, and they will let us know during one of our meetings. Thank you for listening and I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the day."

The rest of the day passed, with excited murmurs of their return. Several letters had been sent to Hogsmeade to spread the news. Fawkes had also been sent, with letters for Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, Hermione wanting to get the news to both Viktor and Gabrielle, as Headmaster and Headmistress respectively, as soon as practical.

Both Remus and Harry had been shocked with the amount of enthusiasm their sudden reappearance had generated. Tonks had told them that for the first time in a long time, it felt like they now had a fighting chance to end this war. After all, the man who had taken down the last Dark Lord was back.

But Harry could easily see the flaw in this; it was all up to him…again.

* * *

The first Order meeting had been scheduled for three days later, and with the dramatic influx of members, it needed to be held in the Room of Requirement. The general topic of discussion had centred on how to best approach the vampires; whether to attack or defend. It had been decided to wait, as they didn't want their opponents to know about Remus and Harry, at least, not yet. 

The meeting had ended, with only the Hogwarts staff, the Weasleys, Harry and Remus remaining behind. This time, the talk was about where they get supplies. Since Diagon Alley had been overrun, Gringotts was now under the control of the vampires. Very few people had been able to act in time to withdraw all of their belongings, and so, money had become quite an issue.

"I mean, it all happened so ruddy quickly! One day, everything was fine, the next, the place had been flooded with them!" Fred explained.

"Quite right, we were lucky to get most of our stuff back to our apartment before the whole place had been attacked. It was chaos," George added, nodding in agreement with his twin.

Harry had found it quite amusing to see both of them had grown long, identical, beards. He thought it made them look a little bit like how he remembered Dumbledore in his second year through the diary. He had been brought back to the conversation when Remus addressed him.

"Harry, didn't you move all the items from your vault before we came here?"

"Yeah, I did. I moved it to the National Bank in Sydney," he replied, before he understood what Remus had meant. "I'll just go and check the balance."

With that, Harry vanished in a bright orange light, returning a short time later with his money pouch. One of the features Harry had found out about the pouch, was that it not only could withdraw money, but it could also tell you how much you still had in your account.

"Sorry, it doesn't recognise me."

"How come?" Tobius asked.

"Because the account hasn't been used in such a long time, I need to meet with the Bank manager. It'll only let me take out ten galleons before locking me out," Harry replied.

"Could be interesting then. Australia is one of the very few safe havens left," Hermione told him.

"What about America?"

It was Kingsley who answered. "No good, Harry. The Americans have realised the danger, and have greatly increased their security. You couldn't even get a snitch through that place without having Aurors crawling all over it."

"And Australia doesn't?" Remus enquired.

"Since they're so far away from everywhere else, they just put up anti-apparition wards, blocking themselves off. But you can still go there if you have the clearance. Asia hasn't been as affected as we and America have. Several people sought refuge in both, but Asia has been far easier to move around in for the last ten years," Tonks replied.

"Are the Americans helping us then?"

"As much as they can, Remus," Arthur answered. "It hasn't been easy for them either. They have been having some troubles on the muggle side of things, and most of them have been helping with that."

"The muggles know about us?" Harry said.

"No, only the ones in certain positions. In the United States, many Aurors are enrolled in their military forces. They can monitor who comes into the country from there," Kingsley informed them.

Harry looked at Remus and gave a small smile. "Looks like we're heading Down Under."

"How Harry? The wards, remember?"

"True, but I think I have a way around that, Remus. Send Fawkes off to tell Mike, if he's still alive, that we're back. He should be able to grant us access to Sydney, and…"

"But we can't apparate to get there!" Ron exclaimed.

"I know. And I don't recognise anyone's magical signature, so I can't use my other apparition technique either. But we can still get there."

"How?" Remus asked.

Harry looked at him and gave him a sly grin. "I reckon it's time we test out the new car."

Remus' face dawned in understanding before his face also broke out into a smile. "I believe you're right, Harry."

"What car? You didn't charm that Jaguar did you?"

"Of course not, Hermione," Harry snorted. "When I was in Sydney transferring my vaults over, they released a new car. I think it was the first car to have included magic during the manufacturing process."

"You mean like my old one?" Arthur asked.

"No. Yours was a muggle car. You just added the charms to it afterwards. This one didn't need to have that done."

"That's right! I remember now," Fred exclaimed.

"Yeah, you showed it to us when you got back. I remember wondering how they got the invisibility charm to work," George added.

"Because it kept breaking down on Dad's all the time," Fred finished.

"You mean someone was able to get it to work properly?" Arthur asked, sitting up straighter in his chair.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, they did. But the best charm is the last one."

"Which is what exactly?" Remus asked. He had pestered Harry about this very thing for a week after he had bought it, but Harry refused to tell him anything other than 'it's a surprise'.

Harry smiled. "That's the surprise, Remus. I wanted my car to be as inconspicuous as possible.

Remus rolled his eyes. "It already _was_ inconspicuous!"

Harry merely smiled before disappearing in a flash of orange, returning shortly afterwards with his trunk. He opened the sixth chamber, and raised his wand.

"Accio Enigma!"

A model car zoomed into Harry's hands, and he carefully placed it on the ground before enlarging it.

"That's not what you bought!" Remus remarked as he looked in awe at the gleaming black finish of a two door sports car.

Harry shrugged, "it's still the same car, Remus."

Fred went around the front of the car and let out a whistle with what the badge said. "Nice one, Harry. You changed a Mini into a Porch!"

"That's 'Porsche', Fred, and no I didn't. It's part of the final charm they put on it," Harry explained.

"That's one heck of a charm!" George commented.

"It was quite simple actually. Just an advanced Transfiguration charm. Here, I'll show you."

Harry then pointed his wand at the car and muttered an incantation. Everyone watched as the Porsche was soon replaced by a Mini, before then changing into a four wheel drive.

"How did you manage to do that?"

"I told you, Remus, it's just…"

"No, no, not that, Harry. Are you telling me that you can change that into _any_ vehicle at all?"

"No, only the ones I've had programmed in. I've got six in total."

"Expansion charms for the interior, like the Ministry cars?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, easiest way for storage, but not for the Porsche. Also got 'notice-me-not' charms on it too."

"What fuel does it run on?" Tobius asked after a short silence. At that, Harry's eyes widened a little.

"Don't tell me you forgot about _that_," Remus groaned.

"No, it's just that…er, well…the power source isn't exactly…er, legal," he carefully said.

"Meaning what exactly?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at Harry.

"I kind of…used a…dragon heart to run it," he mumbled.

"You killed a dragon just to make your ruddy car run!" Remus yelled.

Harry flinched slightly, before answering. "Not exactly. I ordered one."

"Sweet Merlin, Harry! Do you know how many Ministry regulations that breaks?" Arthur remarked.

"Over fifty last time I checked," he replied.

"And you _still_ went ahead with this? Why?"

"I needed another source of energy, Remus. I had to remove the original supply to get it into England in the first place. I wasn't going to use my own power, and normal muggle fuels were out. I wasn't going to take a chance with nuclear."

That answer didn't satisfy Remus or Hermione, who were both still openly glaring at Harry.

"What dragon did you end up with?"

Harry glanced over at Charlie. "I didn't really have a preference, but it's a rather familiar Norwegian Ridgeback."

"You mean it's…"

"Yeah, Norbert powers the car, Ron," Harry cut in. "I got told that he had some kind of disease, and he was going to die anyway. I didn't want them to kill a perfectly good dragon, but I certainly wasn't expecting him to be the one I ended up with."

"Wait. Charlie, are you saying you helped Harry with this?" Molly asked, her eyes narrowing over her eldest son since Bill had been lost in the final fight against Voldemort.

"He didn't tell me what he was using it for!" Charlie replied, trying to defend himself. "But there isn't any laws preventing him from acquiring the heart from a dragon that was going to die anyway. This…Norbert, was one of the first infected with that strain of flu that wiped out over eighty percent of the dragon population twenty years ago. We found out later that the virus affected the dragon's brain and not their heart's."

"Besides," Harry said. "I couldn't let Hagrid's baby go to waste, could I? He loved Norbert like he was a son."

He watched with a little amusement at the astonished looks on most faces, and tried his best to ignore the glares from others.


	6. Chapter 6 – Moony’s Big Day

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

As you can probably guess by the title, this chapter is pretty much all to do with his wedding. I was rather surprised that I managed to write a full chapter about it to be honest. Big hugs to Shy and Nutto who both checked this for me and helped it sound more believable (like the vows…which I totally forgot about)! And an extra one to Nutto for finding a suitable middle name for Mrs Moony! Both of those lovely people (along with several others) have their own fics which can be read under my C2 group.

No responses, so you all can endure the long version of Remus and Bernadine's wedding day…in other words, I finally get to use the M rating, lol! The only difference is the last...third or so, and I'll take a wild guess by saying that this should be the longest chappie in this fic.

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Moony's Big Day**

Their trip to Sydney was put on hold, as they waited to hear from Mike to see whether he'd be able to get them clearance to enter the country. In the meantime, Harry and Remus were still settling into their new, yet familiar, surroundings. They had yet to help with any classes, and were currently sitting in their private quarters, when Tobius came in. Harry excused himself, allowing them to spend time with each other. Tobius told Remus about his time at Hogwarts, and how he wasn't terribly trusted because people believed his father was fighting against them. Remus could only sympathise with his son because he himself hadn't been that well trusted either, though for a different reason.

"What was Mum like, and how'd you get around the regulations that exclude us from…you know."

"I do. Getting around the marriage restrictions was easy. I was no longer considered a werewolf, so the regulations didn't apply to me. It was a loophole in the rules, one that Bernadine found," Remus answered. "She used to work as an Unspeakable, which was frustrating every time I asked her about her day," he smiled fondly. He used to always do that just to irk her.

Remus then sighed, closing his eyes as he remembered everything about her. He wasn't even aware that he was slowly twisting the golden band on his left ring finger.

"And Bernadine, well…she was the most wonderful person I'd ever met. She had long, flowing black hair, grey eyes…she was beautiful," he softly replied. "She was a muggleborn, and had a bit of a reputation for flirting during her time at Hogwarts. She and her best friend, Eleanor, actually propositioned Sirius and me in our final year."

"She asked you to marry her during school?" Tobius questioned. He thought they had only married around a year before he was born.

"No, no. She pressed me up against one of the walls after I had finished a class. She was the first person who had ever kissed me," Remus answered, a smile creeping across his face. "We had been together for three years before we got married. It was the happiest moment of my life. She would've made a great mother, I'm sure," Remus said, noticing Tobius struggling to keep his tears back.

"What was…was your wedding day like? I've heard it from others, but how…how did you handle it?" he managed to ask, his voice starting to quiver with emotion.

"I was a nervous wreck," Remus admitted, smiling as he remembered that day very clearly.

_-flashback-_

"Stop fidgeting, Remus!"

"I can't help it, Harry! I've never been so nervous in all my life!" he snapped back.

"Yeah well, I have an idea. Petrificus Totalus! Much better!" he said, watching as Remus froze in place, allowing Harry to finish putting his bowtie on him. Remus had tried several times before, but had been shaking too much to do it correctly, so Harry had offered to help.

He finished and unfroze Remus who glared at him. "Warn me next time you're going to do that," he growled.

"You're welcome," Harry replied, grinning at him.

"Well, I'm going to go downstairs and…"

"Oh no you don't! Remember the rule, Remus. The groom isn't supposed to see the bride in her dress until you're waiting for her at the altar," Harry chided him, and Remus blushed slightly at being caught.

"I know. It's just…what if she does a runner?"

Harry laughed, "then she had better hope she can run ruddy fast, because she'll have a whole host of people after her! Not to mention the fact that I'm sure several witches would gladly offer to help you out."

Remus blushed again, as he realised Harry's underlying meaning. After he had been given the Order of Merlin, he had had numerous marriage proposals by witches; some half his age, others double it. Remus had been greatly surprised when he received Bernadine's letter over three years ago. He remembered their very first meeting at Hogwarts, where she had grabbed and kissed him outside of class. She had politely asked in her letter if he'd like to meet her for dinner one evening, and their relationship had taken off from there.

"Come on, Remus, I'm only kidding. She wouldn't do that to you. She loves you, you know that."

Remus nodded, "and she knows that I love her back."

"Exactly. Was my Dad this nervous before his wedding?"

"Actually, he was far worse."

"You're joking right?'!" Harry exclaimed. He doubted that quite a bit seeing how Remus was reacting.

"Not at all. Of course, it didn't help matters when Sirius wrote a letter to him, in his best Lily writing I might add, informing James that she had eloped with Severus."

Harry stifled a laugh. "I'll bet he simply _loved_ that!"

Remus smiled. "He did. I believe his exact words when he found out that it was a windup were; Sirius Black, should you get totally drunk at the reception, I _will_ make sure you meet a nice female poodle to have puppies with."

Harry couldn't help himself and burst out laughing, with Remus joining in shortly after.

* * *

Harry continued to hold Remus up, allowing Bernadine time to slip outside without Remus seeing her. He was helped when Ron, Kingsley and Roger Davies (who Harry remembered from school. Remus had told him that just before Harry came to farewell him during his first stint as Defence Professor, Roger did the same thing) came into Remus' room. Remus had asked those three to be his groomsmen, with Harry given the honour of best man. Bernadine's party consisted of her best friend, Eleanor, as maid of honour, her two sisters, Iris and Nadine, and Tonks (who knew Bernadine as they both worked at the Ministry) being the bridesmaids.

Remus and Bernadine had both decided that Harry's black robe with the maroon and gold patterns were the most appropriate for their big day, and five such robes were ordered from Madam Malkin's shop. Harry choosing to get his made up instead of having to charm one.

Remus appeared to have relaxed slightly, but was pacing nervously around his room, while Harry and Ron chatted to Roger, catching up with the Ravenclaw. Kingsley had been given a list from Bernadine, and was currently reading through it, checking off the items. He came to the second last thing and turned to Remus.

"Do you have the buttonholes to put on our robes, Remus?" he asked in his usual deep baritone voice.

Remus stopped his pacing and looked at the Auror in shock. "Oh Merlin! No, I totally forgot! What am I going to do?'! She'll…"

"I picked them up for us two days ago, Kingsley. I'll just go and get them from my room," Harry interrupted.

"Make sure you get the rings too," Kingsley called after him, crossing the final two things from his list, as Harry stepped into the hall.

They heard him cough, stifling a laugh, and innocently reply "rings, what rings?" before the three of them had to physically restrain Remus from racing after him, a nice hex at the ready.

* * *

The five of them apparated to Hogsmeade, waiting for the carriage that would take them to Hogwarts. Remus was growing even more nervous, and Harry wondered if he'd make it through the service, or if a trip to St Mungo's was in order.

"You know, I have a calming draught in my trunk, Remus," he offered.

"It wouldn't do me any good, Harry."

"Why not?" Roger asked.

"I've already taken three today," he replied as their ride arrived in front of them.

"You're kidding!"

Roger could only shake his head in amazement as Remus told him that he was being dead serious.

The ride to Hogwarts was made in relative quiet, with Remus fiddling with his buttonhole.

"Stop it, Remus! Just calm down!" Harry told him, slapping his hand away.

"I can't!"

"YES, you can. You're shaking like a leaf! Imagine what Sirius and my Dad would say if they saw you like this."

This didn't have the desired effect as Remus looked at Harry with a horrified expression on his face and started mumbling incoherent things to himself.

Harry could only lean back and sigh. 'At least he's stopped fidgeting,' he thought.

The coach slowed to a halt outside the front gates of Hogwarts, and the five of them disembarked, with Roger, Kingsley and Ron leading them to the gates, while Harry did his best to keep Remus calm.

"It'll be fine, Remus. Everything will go just like clockwork."

"But…"

"No buts, Remus. If it makes you feel better, I'm nervous as well."

"You don't look it."

"Nor would Mad-Eye in comparison to you right now," he joked, and Remus gave him a sheepish smile.

"I guess I have been acting a little paranoid," he said, missing the look on Harry's face which suggested that had been somewhat of an understatement. "It's just that there are so many things going through my head right now. What if I forget my lines? Or worse, what if I say someone else's name?'!"

"You won't forget your lines. As for saying someone else's name…if you were Sirius, I might be worried. But I didn't think you've been with anyone else before?"

"I haven't," Remus admitted. "But I'm still nervous as hell!"

"Really, I hadn't noticed," Harry replied, rolling his eyes.

Remus just glared at him, but he was very grateful for what Harry was trying to do. They quickly arrived just outside the Great Hall, where Harry had to wait to walk in with Eleanor. Remus slowly breathed in and out, steeling himself as he pushed the door open and made his way to the front of the room.

The small gathering watched as he entered, and Remus felt himself starting to wish they had chosen to elope. He settled himself in position and waited for the music to fade, all the while trying his hardest not to bolt back the way he came.

His tension slowly eased as a new song started up, and the doors to the hall opened once more. Kingsley came in first, his arm linked with that of Tonks, dressed in a royal blue dress, her hair a sensible dark blonde colour. Remus could only hope she wouldn't trip over, when in walked Roger and Iris as the other couple reached the halfway point. Iris had long flowing brown hair, but looked nearly exactly like Bernadine, 'just not as beautiful' Remus thought. Ron and Nadine were next to enter, and like Iris, Nadine also had long brown hair. They were lastly followed by Harry and Eleanor as best man and maid of honour.

Remus then screwed up all his Gryffindor courage, for he knew who would be coming in next. The music faded.

"Last chance to run," Harry smiled as he took his place beside his friend.

Remus smiled back. "Don't tempt me."

Harry merely laughed softly in reply.

A sudden burst of music indicated the beginning of the wedding march. Everyone in the Great Hall stood and blocked Remus' view of the doors. He could hear several "ooh's" and "aah's" before he saw a figure clad in white come through the crowd being escorted by her father, Michael Whittaker.

Remus' breath hitched. Bernadine practically radiated beauty as she slowly came towards him and he tuned out the rest of the room. Her dress was v-cut and hung off her shoulders with edges of lace, and silk underneath. A long veil trailed behind her and a small one lay just over her eyes so he couldn't see them until she arrived next to him.

Michael shook Remus' hand and returned to his place beside his wife, who was sitting in the font row.

There was a moment of silence as the minister approached.

"You look incredible," he breathed.

The smile she held all the way down the aisle never faltered. "So do you."

He took her hands in his and they turned to face Amelia Bones who smiled at them. "One of the more enjoyable roles of being on the Wizengamot."

She withdrew her wand and cast a mild sonorous charm on herself, before sweeping a graceful arc with her wand, surrounding Remus and Bernadine. Remus understood that this would enable those sitting at the back to hear what was being said.

"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Remus John Lupin and Bernadine Amorette Whittaker. Bernadine, do you have anything you would like to say to Remus?"

She nodded, and then turned to face Remus, looking deep into his brown eyes. "I, Bernadine Amorette Whittaker, take you, Remus John Lupin, to be my husband, confident in my heart that you will be a faithful friend, as well as a true and loving companion. On this wondrous day, in the presence of Merlin, relatives, and our friends as witnesses, I give to you my sacred vow that as your wife, I will be with you and support you forever.

"I promise to love you completely, to console and comfort you during difficult times, to laugh with you and to grieve with you, to share with you life's simplest but most enduring pleasures, and to be truthful and honest with you."

"Remus, do you have anything to say to Bernadine?"

Remus nodded, smiled at Bernadine, and began his vows. "I, Remus John Lupin, take you, Bernadine Amorette Whittaker, to be my wife, knowing in my heart that you will be a faithful friend, as well as a steadfast and loving companion. On this special day, in the presence of Merlin, relatives, and our friends as witnesses, I give to you my sacred vow that as your husband, I will be with you and support you forever.

"I promise to love you completely, to console and comfort you during difficult times, to respect you and to protect you from harm, to honour you and to provide for your well-being, and to be truthful and honest with you."

Amelia nodded, before continuing with the ceremony. "Do you, Remus, take Bernadine to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for better or worse, through sickness and health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Do you, Bernadine, take Remus to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for better or worse, through sickness and health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Do you have the rings?"

"Yes" Harry said, rifling through his pocket and pulling out two shining golden rings, which he handed to Remus and Bernadine.

"Remus, repeat after me; I, Remus John Lupin."

"I, Remus John Lupin."

"Stand here before these people assembled."

"Stand here before these people assembled."

"And witnessed by Merlin himself."

"And witnessed by Merlin himself."

"Upon taking Bernadine as my lawfully wedded wife."

"Upon taking Bernadine as my lawfully wedded wife."

With that, Remus slipped the ring on her finger and gave her a smile, noticing tear marks staining her face, before facing Amelia again.

"Now, Bernadine, please repeat after me; I, Bernadine Amorette Whittaker."

"I, Bernadine Amorette Whittaker."

"Stand here before these people assembled."

"Stand here before these people assembled."

"And witnessed by Merlin himself."

"And witnessed by Merlin himself."

"Upon taking Remus as my lawfully wedded husband."

"Upon taking Remus as my lawfully wedded husband."

She then put her ring on Remus' finger, and waited for the service to conclude.

"With these actions, I forever bind you as one; mind, heart, body and soul. As witnessed by the persons here present, and by the mighty Merlin himself, I am proud to pronounce you as Mr and Mrs Remus John Lupin. You may now kiss the bride."

Remus released Bernadine's hands and lifted her veil up and away from her glistening grey eyes. His hand traced the outline of her face and cupped her chin gently as he softly brushed his lips against hers.

The Great Hall erupted in thunderous round of cheers and applause.

* * *

"Where are you taking me, Remus?"

"Oh, just someplace I hope you'll like," was his response.

With that, he grabbed her hand and apparated both of them away from the reception, and Bernadine found herself outside a two storey cottage. She turned to ask her husband, but Remus shushed her.

"Please Bernadine, don't say a word until we get inside."

She nodded, and Remus scooped her in his arms and carried her to the door, where he simply opened it wandlessly and entered the house. He gently set her down on the lounge in the living room, and Bernadine looked around her new surroundings.

She couldn't deny that it was an amazing place. It had a staircase that she guessed led to the bedrooms. Overall, Bernadine felt that while the house wasn't very large, it was certainly very nice, and somehow felt…right. The room they were in had appeared to have been decorated to create a forest effect, with deep green walls and timber finishes to most of the furniture. She noted that there were no pictures, but guessed that considering why they were here, that they had been packed away so as to not disturb the happy couple.

There was a nice, cosy fireplace, a large lounge suite where they both were currently sitting, and two reclining leather chairs. The lounge suite and chairs stood out from the rest of the room as both were navy blue in colour, but that didn't clash with the rest of the room; it merely brought your attention to where you should sit down.

"Wow. I knew that Harry said he'd been working on this, but…"

Remus' voice trailed off as he also looked around. He stood up to see what else Harry had done, but he was stopped by Bernadine who had latched onto his arm, and he saw a pleading look in her eyes.

"Please Remus. You said you'd tell me where we are when we got inside."

Remus sat back down and closed his eyes, letting out a sigh as he did so. He then turned to face his wife, and held both her hands in his.

"I haven't been to this place for a long time, not since the start of my final year at Hogwarts."

He stopped at this point and closed his eyes again. Bernadine wondered exactly why Remus appeared so emotional at being here, but her question was answered when he next spoke.

"Harry asked me if I'd mind if he did this for our wedding present, and he refused to allow me to see it until tonight. This is…was my parents' old house."

Bernadine then nodded in understanding and pulled him towards her, not truly knowing, but she could only imagine what he must be feeling, being in the house where Death Eaters had killed his mother and father over thirty years ago.

They sat like that for about fifteen minutes, before she managed to coax Remus into seeing the rest of the house. Like the living room, Harry had gone for a forest look everywhere, with the exceptions being the kitchen, bathroom and toilet, which had a more 'normal' look to them, yet still didn't conflict with the rest of the house.

They reached the main bedroom, and she let out a gasp, while Remus looked around it in awe. There was a large king-size bed against the back wall, and was fully furnished with a dressing tables and a desk in the corner. The walls were smattered with muggle and magical pictures of the two of them. But that wasn't what had surprised them, that would be the roof; Harry had charmed it like the roof of the Great Hall, and hundreds of stars were twinkling down at them, as well as a bright full moon, giving the room an ethereal glow.

"Remind me to thank Harry when our honeymoon is over," Remus whispered.

"Give him mine too," she replied before making her way to the bed. She then noticed that Remus wasn't following her and looked to face him. "Remus, aren't you going to join me?"

"I'm feeling a bit jaded after today. I think I'll go to bed, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't," she said, smiling seductively at him. "That is the best idea you've had all day."

Remus' face then dawned in realisation, and he smiled at the true meaning of her words.

* * *

Bernadine slowly stood up, her heart already starting to flutter with anticipation. She then began to tease her husband by undoing her dress so slowly, that Remus thought an Impediment jinx had been cast on her. She slyly smiled as she saw that he was starting to become somewhat aroused with her every move.

"Remus," she said as she abruptly stopped. "Aren't you going..."

"No, I don't think I would be able to stand up right now," he interrupted, a playful look on his face as he did so.

"Well, I think I have a solution to your…problem," she purred as her eyes followed his glance down towards his groin region. She slipped her dress off her body, and heard Remus gasp as he realised that she hadn't been wearing anything beneath it. Her silky soft skin glistened in the light from the enchanted roof.

"Sweet Merlin, you're beautiful," was all Remus could say as Bernadine then gracefully walked back to where he was sitting on the bed.

She smiled before leaning over and pecking him on the cheek. "And you're the most wonderful person I've met."

Remus then took her hands and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her as he did so, savouring every touch of her naked skin beneath his hands. He knew he needed her by the way he refused to let her lips part from his, and she knew she needed him by the way she was moaning.

Bernadine was soon clambering to get him out of his robe, which caused Remus to break their kiss abruptly. "Er, Berna..." he said between heavy breaths.

"Less talk, Remus. Surely you weren't expecting to do this fully clothed, did you?" she murmured against his neck, a sensation he found to be even more arousing. Then she promptly reached her hands underneath his shirt to touch him, but he quickly pulled away.

She looked confused, and rather disappointed. "That's not fair, Remus," she teased, pouting at him.

"Well, you started it by taking so long to get out of your dress," he reminded her, while she gave him a playful slap, but wondering why Remus was being so withdrawn. Throughout their relationship, Remus had refused to let her to see him without a shirt on, and she had hoped he would allow her to tonight.

He slowly unbuttoned his robe, tossing it on the floor alongside her dress, eventually followed by his pants and, finally though reluctantly, his shirt. It was then that she realised why Remus had been hesitant; his body was littered with scars, and she doubted that a single one was _not_ from his transformations. She noticed that he was waiting for her to say something, so she gave him a smile.

"Well, keep going. You aren't finished yet."

Remus smiled as he knew that meant that she didn't care about his scars and he heaved a sigh of relief before he quickly slid off his underwear. After an approving look from Bernadine, she then came over and pressed her body against his while he took a breast in his mouth and flicked her nipple with his tongue, before she pulled his head up and hungrily devoured his mouth with hers. They fell back onto the bed, with Bernadine allowing him to roll on top of her.

She whispered into his mouth, scarcely audible over their breathing. "I want you, Remus…please."

As she raked her nails down his chest and spread her legs beneath him enticingly, Remus became a little unsure of himself.

"I haven't done this before," he again confessed. He had told her before, of course, and her reply was exactly the same as it had been back then.

"Then it'll make it that much more special," she purred, nibbling on his ear lobe.

He lifted his hands and rested them on her hips, and she knew that he was ready. She shuddered a little in anticipation, savouring his slight hesitance. He looked deep into her eyes, silently asking if she was ready; a thing that, had he been anyone else, Bernadine expected he would have taken for granted. She gave him a nod, and as he wrapped her arms around his shoulders lifting her hips for a better angle, she gasped as she felt the gentlest tip of his manhood outside of her entrance and it made her tingle.

Within moments he was fully inside her, and both of them groaned at the feeling of being together like this for the first time.

"You're bigger than I thought you'd be," she admitted as they stayed like this for a while, Remus allowing Bernadine to get used to his size.

He knew that while it may have been _his_ first time, it wasn't hers. But he _was_ aware of how tightly she enveloped him, and how incredible it felt to be like this, and to know that, for this moment in time, only the two of them existed.

He withdrew a little, and then, did something he never would have under any normal circumstance; he allowed the werewolf within him to take control. Despite his cure, the wolf still existed, though he didn't have to go through the transformation anymore. Remus knew that werewolves could be very instinctive when it came to matters like this, he even remembered Sirius telling him that very thing in their final year.

He growled, slamming back into her with such force, that Bernadine screamed as he did so, while Remus thanked Merlin for whoever invented the silencing charm. Her head was thrown back, as he continued to pound into her, both of them moaning in unison.

"Please…tell me…you're close," he managed to beg between thrusts, knowing he couldn't last much longer, and was only holding back for her sake.

"Rem…usss...uh...oh..."

He didn't stop his onslaught, but when her breathing became a little slower, he took that as his cue to slow down…something Bernadine did not appreciate.

"I didn't tell you to stop, Remus," she playfully told him.

A small chuckle escaped his lips, before he forcibly pressed his mouth against hers, his tongue demanding entrance that she granted, as he increased his tempo once again.

He broke the kiss as he could feel the sensation building up within him. "Oh, Merlin! Bernadine, I…"

She felt it too and knew he was close, "do it then, Remus!" she demanded.

He didn't think this could get any better, and wasn't prepared for when she began to time her thrusts to match his, begging him not to pull out. This pushed Remus over the edge, who felt a little light-headed with exhilaration as he let out a guttural groan and exploded deep inside her. He felt as though he was being whisked away via a portkey, to the most amazing place he could imagine.

Remus rolled over next to her, satisfied, completely spent, and covered in sweat. They lay like that for a few minutes, both of them thinking about how their lives would change now they were married. Bernadine then looked over to him and smiled.

"You sure you've never done that before?"

"Positive. I admit that I let the wolf take over for a bit though."

She then kissed him and smiled again. "Well, you'll have to show me the dark side of Moony more often then, won't you."

"Mhmm," he replied. "I could show him to you again right now if you like."

"I think I'd like that, _Professor_," she answered slyly.

Remus chuckled before allowing Bernadine to be in control. Both were blissfully unaware of anything else going on around them, knowing that nothing could come close to matching their ecstasy right at this moment.

_-end flashback-_

"It was perfect," he answered.


	7. Chapter 7 – Someone To Rely On

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Righto then, this is, I think, the first bit I have ever written with Harry mainly talking to Ron. I have done quite a few with Remus and Harry, but none with the two best friends. This one also has a little bit of Remus in it…but it's mainly just Ron and Harry talking about the state of play.

Sigh, I hate this chapter, btw. Took me forever to make it fit in…

Also, there is a bit in this chappie where you might go 'hang on a tick, how can that work if she is muggleborn?' so, allow me to explain: she is muggleborn, I am under the impression that this can skip generations.

Wow, over 10 000 hits for Dormant…wicked!

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Someone To Rely On**

Harry was currently in Ron's office, who had seen him while Harry had been walking through the castle since Remus and Tobius were talking to each other.

"Well, what about you? How have you been the last thirty years?" Harry asked after he had finished telling Ron the full story of how they had ended up here.

Ron chuckled. "You'll never change, will you, Harry. Always shrugging things off like you expected them to happen to you."

"That's not tr…"

"I'm just teasing you, mate, don't worry," he cut in with a smile. Ron's face then darkened a bit as he remembered everything over the past thirty years.

"It wasn't easy, Harry. You're my best friend, and you just vanished. No one knew where you and Remus went. You should have seen Bernadine before she passed away. You remember what she looked like, don't you?"

"How could I forget? I don't think even Remus knew what he did to marry someone as beautiful as her," Harry truthfully replied. Despite the age difference, he couldn't deny that he had stolen several glances towards Remus' wife during the times he'd known her. Not that Remus minded though. After all, he kind of expected that considering Bernadine was an eighth Veela.

"Yeah well, she just wasted away. I think Tobius was the only thing that kept her going for as long as she did. It was like she wanted there to be a reminder of what Remus meant to her, probably why she gave him Remus as his middle name."

"Well, that was my fault for agreeing with him for us both to take that stupid potion."

Ron gave him a smile again. "You always liked to take the blame for everything. You have no idea how much we all missed the two of you."

"Did you think we had switched sides when the war started?"

"Not a chance. Hermione told us that there was no way you two would do that, and we both know many times she's been wrong."

"Yeah, not often," Harry replied with a grin.

Ron nodded, grinning back at him. "Exactly."

"So who took over our classes?"

"Hermione took over yours, while Draco decided to do her Potions ones. As for the Transfiguration classes, Minerva did for two years, then Tonks came in."

"Was that a wise move?"

"Yes actually. I thought that at the time too, but Minerva always said that Tonks was quite good at it during her time at Hogwarts."

"Probably because she's a metamorphmagus. What happened to Minerva, and Filius? Did they retire?"

Ron snorted. "Oh yeah, they did. During the attack on the Diagon Alley, they were there picking up their supplies for the upcoming year. They never made it back."

"Oh," was all Harry could say. He had wondered why Hermione was Headmistress, but didn't think that the role was thrust upon her like Ron had suggested it had been.

Ron then sighed and closed his eyes. "After that attack, no one knew what to do. There was no hero figure to look up to like Albus or you, and things fell apart real quick," he then let out a small chuckle. "It was rather amusing. Wish you could have heard the stories people were telling their kids about you."

Harry raised an eyebrow while Ron continued. "They were all exaggerated so much, it was bordering on ridiculous. Nearly all the kids thought you had beaten Voldemort and all his Death Eaters on your own. That you went to their hideout and challenged all of them at the same time and came away without a single scratch."

Harry couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Sounds good. Do I get to meet this Harry guy or what?"

Both of them started laughing, and it took a little while before Harry asked Ron about himself. "What about you though? I know things weren't looking that great between you and Pavarti."

"Yeah, we broke up about a month after you left. Then I did something rather stupid."

"Which was?" Harry asked after Ron didn't elaborate.

"I asked Hermione out."

Harry waited for Ron to continue. "But she said we shouldn't, and that it might ruin the friendship we'd built up. Turned out to be a good move since me and Lavender then started going out."

"Where is Lavender? I've seen Parvati here."

"Yeah, she's the Divination Professor. As for Lavender…"

Ron's voice trailed off and he closed his eyes before releasing a sigh. When he opened them, Harry could see the anguish in them, and knew that something bad must have happened.

"We got engaged about fifteen years ago."

"That's good then, isn't it?"

Ron stared at the floor, a rather distant look on his face. "They killed her a week before our wedding. I found out from Parvati" he softly said.

"I…I'm sorry" was all Harry could say.

"I just…I didn't want to believe it when I found out. How can you pick up the pieces after something like that?"

"It's times like that when you find out who your friends are, Ron," Harry told him. He was one person who had a fair idea of what Ron must have felt like. After all, he had lost his Godfather before he had a chance to get to know him properly.

"I know," Ron admitted. "Mum, Dad, Charlie, Fred, George, Ginny and Hermione were all really supportive of me. It's just that…I just wished there was someone who I could talk to about it, you know?"

"Yeah, I do. Remus helped me greatly after Sirius went."

"I gathered he did. You hardly mentioned him at all during our sixth year. Having said that, I think I now have a pretty good idea of some of the things that you've had to deal with."

"It won't matter, Ron. Once the war is over, me and Remus will be going back and making sure none of this happens."

Ron looked over at his best friend and smiled broadly. "You have no idea how much we've all missed that attitude of yours."

"What attitude? I'm just saying…"

"That nothing is ever impossible. Think about everything you've done, Harry. Then think about all the rubbish you've had to deal with on top of that. You never let it get to you. We didn't have anyone like that after you and Remus left. How is he handling finding out he has a son?"

"I'd be lying if I said he was completely at ease with it. He blames himself for not being there for him, but I'm pretty sure Bernadine's passing hurts more."

"He looks ok every time I've seen him though."

"True, but it's the little things you don't see, Ron. He stays up late at nights, sitting on the lounge just staring into space," Harry replied. He left out what had happened the first night that they had found out about it.

_-flashback-_

"Are you alright?" Harry asked after Tobius had left their quarters.

"About as good as I can be, Harry."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Not unless you can miraculously bring my wife back," he replied, a grim smile on his face.

"I know this won't help in any way, but I'm always here if you want to talk about it."

Remus nodded, but didn't say anything else. Harry wasn't even sure if Remus heard him say that he, Harry, was going to bed. Harry got up at around three in the morning for a bathroom break, and found Remus fast asleep on the lounge. He conjured a blanket, and as he lay it over him, Harry could make out tears staining Remus' cheeks.

He was making his way back to his bedroom when he heard Remus stir and murmur Bernadine's name before rolling off the lounge and onto the floor. It would have been a harder landing had Harry not reacted quickly enough and cast a cushioning charm. As it was, it was still enough to wake the older wizard, who looked around wildly and found Harry looking at him in concern.

"What happened?" Remus asked.

"You fell off the lounge."

"Oh…er, you haven't been standing there all night have you?"

Harry chuckled, "no, nature called."

Remus nodded and picked himself up off the floor and headed for his bedroom. Before he reached his door, Harry grasped his shoulder.

"If there's one thing you've taught me, Remus, it's not to bottle things up inside you. Contrary to what you believe, we _are_ similar, and I'll be there if you ever want to talk."

Remus nodded, before closing his eyes in sadness. There was nothing he could do to stop the tears stinging his eyes, and he was grateful when Harry embraced him, allowing Remus to use him while he grieved.

It wasn't to be the last time either.

_-end flashback-_

"Yeah, I think I was pretty much the same. We've been lucky though. I mean, apart from her, we haven't lost anyone else since Bill and Percy."

Harry nodded. He knew that Fred and George were engaged to Angelina and Katie, while Ginny and Neville had been together for the last two years. Fleur had managed to recover from losing Bill and was now married to Charlie. All of them, along with Molly and Arthur, now resided at Hogwarts, the Burrow having been abandoned some ten years ago.

Ron sighed and looked over to Harry. "You said earlier about Remus and you going back. Do you think it's wise to do that? I mean, you could change time, not that I'd mind, but isn't that risky?"

"I don't know, Ron. Even Hermione's not sure what the consequences might be. This is different from the timeturner in that we haven't lived through what you did, that's why Hermione reckons we might be able to go back. Besides, we might not even make it through this war _to_ go back."

"You will. You're Harry Potter."

Harry couldn't help but chuckle. "Maybe so, but each victory brings you that much closer to your next defeat. I've been lucky to survive quite a few of those, you know that."

"Let's hope that your luck continues in this one then," Ron replied, giving Harry a smile which he returned.


	8. Chapter 8 – House Traits

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Righto, so if a couple of chapters ago was about Remus talking to Tobius about his wedding day, this one will be about Harry meeting his little cousin.

* * *

**Chapter 8 – House Traits**

Harry decided that he wanted to visit the kitchens and was heading that way when he walked past a door that was ajar hearing voices coming from inside that caught his attention.

"Please Professor! Can't you tell me where he is?"

"I'm sorry, but as he isn't a Professor here, nor is he your Head of House, I cannot give you the password to their quarters," came the reply that Harry recognised as being Tonks.

"But I'm family!"

"But he doesn't know you. He has barely been here for two weeks, and is still trying to find his feet in this time."

"Professor Lupin gets to…"

"That is different. He is Remus' _direct_ family, while you are Harry's second cousin. I'm sorry Brendan, but maybe you can catch him at breakfast tomor…"

Tonks was interrupted as the door to her office opened and Harry walked in. He saw the small boy sitting opposite the Auror, and noticed that he wasn't anything like a younger Dudley. For starters, Brendan was thin, not as much as Harry himself had been, but certainly nowhere near Dudley's size at that age. He also had blond hair which Brendan appeared to be trying to let grow out, and made Harry wonder if Brendan took after Dudley's wife.

"I couldn't help but overhear, your door was slightly open," he sheepishly told them.

"Oh…I was kind of hoping for this to not happen as it has, but Harry, this is Brendan Dursley. He's…"

"My cousin's son, I know," Harry cut in. "Herm…Professor Granger told me."

"I see…well, what can I do for you, Harry?" Tonks asked.

"I was kind of wondering if you'd mind if I borrowed Brendan. Remus is catching up with his son, so I thought I might do the same."

Tonks saw Brendan' eyes grow wide and his mouth opened slightly in shock, and she could only smile.

"I think that's a splendid idea. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about, Brendan?"

The young boy just shook his head, his focus on Harry and his mouth still half open in disbelief.

Harry gave him a smile. "You ready to go, Brendan?"

He got a small nod in reply and the two of them left Tonks' office.

Just before she shut the door, she heard Harry ask "so…you play Quidditch at all?" and she shook her head and muttered "he'll never change."

* * *

"No, I don't. I was going to try out this year, but the only position is beater, so I probably won't."

"Why not? The most important part of a beater is making sure you can direct the bludgers away from your own players. Size isn't everything."

"Well, maybe…but I don't think I'll make it."

Harry decided not to ask why he thought he wouldn't make the team, and instead tried a more general approach. "What was your reaction when you got your letter?"

"I…I thought it was a joke," he admitted, before his face broke out into a grin. "But then Dad told us about you and well…after that, I couldn't wait! My older sister was so annoyed when she heard about all the stuff I'd be learning!"

Harry allowed himself to smile as he could only imagine what Dudley must have thought when the letter first came. Harry led Brendan to the Room of Requirement, reasoning that Remus and Tobius would be talking most of the night, and he wasn't sure where else they would be able to talk in peace.

"Where are we going?"

"Oh, some place I found," was Harry's reply as they stopped in front to the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy. Harry then pictured a room similar to the one he and Hermione had as Head Students as he walked past the portrait three times. The door appeared, and Brendan followed Harry inside, looking around his surroundings in awe.

"What…what is this place?

"This is the Room of Requirement. It can turn into anything you want it to. I thought we could catch up and talk here rather than somewhere else."

"Wow! Is this what the Gryffindor common room looks like?"

"Kind of, but it's bigger than this. What house are you in?"

"Hufflepuff," was the shy response.

"Nothing wrong with Hufflepuff."

"But you were in Gryffindor, and that's the house of the brave."

"Some would say it's also the house of recklessness," Harry replied with a smile. "Besides, one of the bravest people I knew was in Hufflepuff."

"Really? Who was it?"

"Cedric Diggory."

"Oh, he was in the tri-wizard tournament with you, wasn't he?"

"Yeah. He tied with me…but he never got the glory that should have come with it."

"Why not?"

Harry sighed. "We tied because I helped him from being killed earlier in the tournament, so, in turn, he saved me. I was injured by a giant spider that was intended to stop him. The tri-wizard cup and a thousand galleons was only a few yards from him, but he wouldn't go on. Do you know why?"

Brendan shook his head so Harry continued. "Because he was honourable. He chose honour over money. He was the first person I saw killed under the orders of Voldemort."

Harry heard Brendan gasp and he gave him a small smile. "I think honour is a far more important trait to have than bravery. That is probably why the hat put you in Hufflepuff."

They sat in silence for a little while, when Brendan looked up at Harry. "Is it true that you broke every rule when you were here?"

Harry chuckled "I've never read 'Hogwarts: A History', so I wouldn't know how many rules there are. Ask the Headmistress, she'd know I'm sure of it. Just don't tell her that I haven't read it yet."

"Why not?"

"She bought it for me for my birthday when I started teaching here. I still haven't read it," he replied with a fond smile, wondering what Hermione's reaction might be if she found out.

"I haven't read it either," Brendan replied. "Was Defence your favourite subject?"

"Yeah, but it was also the one that I found to be the easiest. I didn't mind Charms, but Defence was my favourite. What about you?"

"Same."

"That could be because of the war though," Harry said, and Brendan shrugged.

"Maybe, but I think it's more because of you. People were kind of…disappointed when I got sorted into Hufflepuff."

"Who told you that?" Harry enquired.

"No one," he admitted. "But I got the feeling that everyone thought I'd be in Gryffindor since I'm related to you."

"Sirius didn't get sorted into Slytherin."

Brendan gave him a smile. "I know. That's what Professor Tonks always told me."

"So what have you been covering so far in your classes?"

"We've started doing jinxes in Defence, about to start with animagi in Transfiguration, nearly finished with the Glacius Charm in Charms, and Professor Malfoy's about to teach us the Wolfsbane potion."

Harry nodded in understanding. He was a little bit confused why Draco would be teaching them the Wolfsbane, but remembered Hermione telling them about the advances made with it, and figured that Draco would be starting with the original potion.

"What about electives, or don't you get a choice anymore?"

"Oh, we still get choices. I'm doing Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures."

"How are you finding those? I did Divination instead of Arithmancy."

"They're both alright so far. I mean, we haven't had much time, but the Professors are good."

Harry could only nod. He figured Tobius would be most likely be good since Remus was, and he knew that Ginny loved Magical Creatures as much as Hagrid…though she didn't have Hagrid's exuberance for the dangerous ones.

"How did you find Divination? Professor Lupin told us that it isn't the most precise branch of magic."

Harry had to smile at that. Tobius must have picked up that from being around Hermione when he was growing up.

"Apart from having to put up with constantly being told I was going to drop dead, it wasn't too bad. Even scored an E on the OWL."

"What are they like? And what about the NEWT's? I've heard both are really hard."

"They aren't that bad," he reassured him, detecting a faint hint of worry in Brendan's voice. "Well, the NEWT's were easier for me because I only had to do two of them…and I didn't have any distractions for them," Harry answered, thinking about how his Astronomy and History OWL's had both been interrupted.

"Why did you only have two exams?"

"The Governors figured that, since I defeated Voldemort, I only had to sit the Potions and Transfiguration ones."

"That makes sense," Brendan replied.

"What about your parents, and your sister?" Harry asked, changing the topic after a short silence. He then hastily added "I mean, I'm not exactly up to date with everything yet, I don't even know who your Dad married."

"Dad married Vanessa, but I don't know what her surname was before they married. It'll be their twenty-first anniversary in November. I sent them a message telling them about you, but with all the security restrictions, I'm not sure when they'll get it."

"That's ok, I just wanted to know how they are. You live in Cardiff?" Harry asked. Dudley had gotten a job there the year before Harry and Remus ended up here.

"Yeah, we do. Sandra, that's my sister," Brendan added after seeing Harry's confused look, "she's about to start University. She hopes to get into accounting."

"Well then, it looks like I need to catch up with them sometime. Do you know when the next visit will be?"

"No, we haven't been told yet," Brendan then got a dark look on his face. "We _did_ get told that the Hogsmeade trips have been cancelled though."

"Let me guess, they did that for your own safety."

"Yeah. I've never been there, so I guess I'll have to wait until I finish my final year before I can go."

Harry then got a glint in his eye as he remembered thinking a similar thing when he was in third year. He was saved from this fate by a certain piece of parchment which showed him the passageways out of the castle.

He looked at his watch and suddenly stood up. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Brendan followed him without question until they arrived at the statue of the one-eyed witch.

"Where are we going?"

"Hogsmeade," was the reply.

Harry watched in amusement as his cousin's face lit up after he spoke the password and the stone statue slowly moved aside.

* * *

The two of them exited inside Honeydukes, and Harry let Brendan walk around the sweet shop in a stunned daze, while he apparated to Hogwarts and back to grab his money pouch. Brendan didn't even notice that he was gone, and Harry left some money on the counter for a crate of butterbeer and some chocolate before the duo departed the shop.

They walked around the empty village, with Harry pointing out the various landmarks while Brendan listened in silence at everything he was saying, trying to absorb it into his mind. The reached the Shrieking Shack and Harry allowed himself to smile.

"Is it true that the Shack is haunted?"

Harry was about to tell Brendan the real reason behind those rumours, but decided to respect the history of it. After all, it wasn't his, Harry's, story to tell.

"Depends on what you mean by haunted. If you mean does it house ghosts, then no, it doesn't. However, if you mean that did it once house ghosts, then yes, it did."

"Why did they leave then?"

"Oh, no reason. Their time was up. They finished their haunting, but you can still hear their screams if you close your eyes and listen _really_ hard."

Brendan gulped, and politely told Harry that maybe they should head back to Hogwarts, which Harry agreed to. Instead of taking the passage back, Harry decided to apparate them both back to save time.

* * *

After Harry had dropped Brendan off outside the Hufflepuff common room, he then headed back to his own quarters, where he found Remus sitting on the couch, staring blankly into the empty fire.

"Rough night?" Harry asked.

Remus gave him a smile. "Hardly. We just talked about…well, anything really. Where have you been?"

"Doing the same. Got to know a bit about my new cousin. Set him straight about the differences between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff."

"Oh, what did you say?"

Harry shot him a broad smile. "It's quite easy; Hufflepuffs are loyal while we're reckless."

Remus let out a chuckle. "Did you know that the Hogsmeade trips have been cancelled?"

"Yeah, Brendan mentioned that."

"Was he disappointed that he wouldn't be able to go?"

"Not at all," Harry replied, before grinning at Remus. "He knows how to get there by himself now."

Remus smiled back as Harry enlarged the crate of butterbeer and gave him one before sitting down in the other chair.

"I should be berating you for leaving the grounds with a student without having permission, but since I can smell chocolate…"

His voice trailed off and Harry couldn't do anything except laugh as he withdrew several bars of Honeydukes' best chocolate and a somewhat dreamy look came over Remus' face.


	9. Chapter 9 – Primal Law

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

You wouldn't _believe_ how much trouble I had trying to fit ch 7 in, lol! Same with this actually…I needed a way to include this in and after reading through it, decided that it slotted in right about here!

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Primal Law**

It was a week after Harry has shown off the Enigma, and in the middle of an Order meeting, when Fawkes arrived back with letters from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Remus quickly broke the seal on both letters, before reading the one from Gabrielle first.

_Headmistress Granger, Monsieur Lupin and Monsieur Potter,_

_Is it true? Are both of them really back? I dare not believe it! It must be true or you would not have sent me that message. I agree with arranging a meeting with you as quickly as possible, if for nothing more than to visit Hogwarts again._

_Or, perhaps, a meeting here may be more appropriate. I know my students would be awed to see either wizard, particularly our third year students who are about to start on the topic of werewolves in their Defence classes. I am sure they would be thrilled if Remus were to make an appearance._

_My schedule for next weekend is open. Please let me know which choice you would prefer._

_Gabrielle Delacour_

_Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic_

"Well, what do you think? As Headmistress, Hermione, the choice is yours," Remus said after he had finished reading the letter out loud.

"Read the other one, and we'll discuss our options," she replied.

Remus nodded and picked up Viktor's letter.

_Headmistress Granger,_

_Either this is the best news you have sent me for a very long time, or it is a bad joke. Regardless, I would like to confirm the sudden reappearance of Potter and Lupin for myself. I have some spare time next weekend if they are able to make it. I look forward to your swift reply._

_Viktor Krum_

_Headmaster of Durmstrang Wizarding School of Eastern Europe_

"Not really talkative, is he?" Harry mused after Remus had finished.

"Viktor never is," Tobius confirmed.

Hermione had been lost in thought about what to do. On one hand, she knew both would be sceptical about the news, but both had offered to meet with them.

"I think it would be best to go and visit," Harry said, bringing her back to reality.

"I agree," Remus said, nodding before all eyes turned to Hermione.

"Very well. But you'll have to be careful when you leave. You might be able to get them to help with creating a Marauder's Map for both of their schools too," she said.

"I didn't think they've attacked the schools?" Harry questioned.

"They haven't, but I daresay it will only be a matter of time, particularly if we start fighting back against them," Fred replied. "And since even the Fidelius charm can be broken, it would be better to know what to expect and that map certainly helped us."

"Us too," Remus admitted with a hint of a smile.

"But would the others know about any secret passages?" Ron asked.

"Or the charms," Charlie added.

"The charms won't matter, Remus can do those," Harry said, while Remus gave him a quick look which suggested that Harry had failed to mention that to him before now. "The passages might be a bit tougher though."

"Durmstrang should be fine. My great grandfather went there, I'll see what I can find out from his portrait," Draco answered.

"I can 'elp with Beauxbatons," Fleur announced.

"And I'll go through my old things. My grandmother did her schooling there too," Remus added.

"Really? I always wondered that. I mean, your name does sound French," Harry mused, while Remus smiled at him.

"Yes, I know a little French, most of which is not appropriate to be spoken."

The rest of the Order couldn't help but laugh at this. The meeting finished after Fawkes was sent with both replies; Harry would meet with Viktor, and Remus would be going to see Gabrielle.

As everyone filed out of the room, Remus gave his son a look and he nodded in understanding, staying behind until they were the only two left.

"When is it?" Remus asked.

"Tomorrow night," was the reply.

Remus sighed, before watching Tobius leave. It was time for history to repeat itself; he vowed that this would be the final time that _any_ Lupin would have to suffer through the transformation.

* * *

"Remind me why I'm here?" 

"How should I know? Maybe Hermione thinks you're better than her or something" Harry replied as they arrived in the Spirit Room.

"Funny way of showing it."

Remus sighed, this had been all the two of them had been talking about. Both he and Harry knew that to make the same potion that Trent made for Remus, they needed a Potion Master. Hermione told them that she was busy…which left Draco.

"Well, she _is_ Hermione," Harry reminded the blond-haired Head of Slytherin.

"True. I just find it rather strange that she said she was busy, then, after I said I'd come with you, that she _suddenly_ was able to cover my classes," Draco answered.

"Maybe she wanted you two to spend time together?" Remus suggested.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure Draco will _thoroughly_ enjoy spending a whole year with three Gryffindors."

"We're spending _how_ long here?! You didn't tell me that!" he replied.

Harry gave Draco a grin. "Didn't I? Oh, that must have slipped my mind. You're here for a year with us."

Remus looked over at Tobius who, like him, was finding the horrified look on Draco's face to be priceless.

* * *

"Right, are you sure that…" 

"YES, Potter! I've followed _all_ the notes just as they were written down!"

"Ok, I was just…"

"Checking, I know. But cut me _some_ slack, all right?!"

Harry was about to reply, but Remus interrupted. "It smells just as I remembered it."

"Yes, I was about to ask you that. What did it taste like?" Draco asked.

"Even worse," Remus said. "It's worth it though," he added, noticing Tobius' grimace at his previous comment.

"It had better be," was the grumble Tobius answered with.

"So I'm guessing that you have to drink this before the full moon?"

Remus nodded while Draco poured some of the potion into a goblet. He then slid it over to Tobius who glared at him.

"Just drink it, Tobius. It can't be as bad as Remus said," Draco told him.

Remus couldn't help himself, and let out a snort while Draco gave him a funny look. Tobius then cautiously lifted the goblet to his mouth and skulled it down, figuring if it was even half as bad as what his father said it was, it would _still_ taste horrible. Unfortunately for Tobius, Remus had not been kidding, and after several coughs and gags, he managed to finish the potion.

"Told you it tasted nice."

"Shut up, Dad."

"Are you ready then? Did Trent wait for any set time or anything before full moon?" Harry questioned.

"No, he did it pretty much straight away," Remus confirmed.

Harry gave him a nod, and shut his eyes in concentration. Soon, darkness descended in the room, before a familiar glow started to emanate from above them.

Remus looked up as the moonlight hit his face, and he smiled as he felt no change in him at all. He was soon brought from these thoughts by Harry.

"Uh oh. Er, do you guys know any spells that ward off a werewolf?"

Remus snapped his head back to where his son was standing bolt upright, his limbs starting to shake.

"Only one," Draco answered. "But I highly doubt Remus would like me using the Killing curse on him."

"There might be a way," Remus said, watching in morbid fascination as Tobius sprouted fur from beneath his clothes and fell to the floor.

"Well, hurry up and do it then!" Draco replied, his voice a little panicky.

Remus then closed his eyes and stretched out with his mind, using his telepathy. He remembered Trent telling him that he used this on Remus during his final year at Hogwarts. He felt Harry's and Draco's minds, with Draco feeling far more fearful than Harry. Remus guessed that this might have been the first time he had seen a werewolf transform, and was unsure, since the potion didn't work, whether Tobius was safe.

Remus ignored this, though Draco's fears were confirmed when he reached his sons' mind. Tobius was already being consumed by the wolf, and his mind was becoming far less complex as a result. He tried to break through the outer protective shell, and into Tobius himself.

He heard two gasps and his eyes shot open to see what had happened. Tobius had fully transformed, and it was scary to see how remarkably similar his son's form was to his own; the only difference was that Tobius' fur was a lighter brown and didn't have as much grey. A deep growl emanated from Tobius who began to stalk over to his father, amber eyes flashing and his fangs bared.

"Should I summon the…"

"No, let me try first, Harry. You two stay where you are, he won't attack you," he cut in.

"But…" Draco started.

"He won't, trust me," Remus interrupted.

Harry and Draco nodded, but the blond-haired wizard took step back, something the werewolf noticed immediately and his attention then switched to him.

'Tobius, please. I know you're in there. Listen to me.'

The wolf huffed in reply and looked over to Remus. Inside, Tobius was screaming for them to leave him alone before he attacked. He wondered why he hadn't yet, but this was quickly answered when Remus spoke again.

'I know how you feel, son. Remember the law; you _must_ obey your sire.'

There it was; the reason why he felt a connection to the human in front of him. The wolf slowly bowed his head once in recognition of the position Remus held over him, before sitting on the ground. Harry and Draco watched as Remus carefully made his way towards his son, his arm outstretched. They saw Tobius curiously sniff Remus' hand, before allowing him to pat his head.

Remus then turned to them. "You two can go now, I'll stay with him. We can wonder about why the potion didn't work later."

"How did you do that?" Draco asked, while Remus conjured a mattress.

"Primal law via telepathy. He is my pup, and I am his sire. I told him not to attack us, and he can't disobey an order by one who outranks him. Call the sun in about ten hours or so."

Harry and Draco nodded, Remus watching them head back to their quarters. After they had gone, Remus then turned his attention back to his son who had curled up on the mattress and fallen asleep.

"That was meant for _me_!" he exclaimed, looking on in amusement.

Just as he was about to conjure another bed for himself, the werewolf cracked open an eye and moved over a little. Remus nodded, instincts telling him that his cub wanted to be protected. He sat down on the mattress and scratched behind the wolf's ears, smiling as Tobius made a soft contented growling noise in reply.

As Remus was drifting off to sleep, he felt his son nuzzle in beside him; such were the ways of the werewolf.

* * *

"Why didn't it work?!" Tobius angrily asked after he had recovered sufficiently. 

"Well, if we could figure _that_ out, we would have fixed it!" Harry replied.

"Maybe…" Draco started, but his voice trailed off.

"What?" Tobius asked.

"You were born as a werewolf, whereas Remus wasn't. What if the potion doesn't work because it can't break down what belongs to you, and what belongs to the wolf?" Draco questioned.

"Of course!" Harry suddenly said, causing the three others to look at him. "Why didn't I think of it earlier!"

He then jumped out of his seat and headed to the library, with Draco, Remus and Tobius following close behind.

"Well?!" Remus demanded when they caught him up.

"Don't you remember what Bob said? About how he could feel a divided soul inside you?"

Remus' mouth opened, but nothing came out. It was Draco who asked the obvious question. "What are you getting at?"

"I'm saying that the cure didn't work for Tobius because, unlike Remus, his soul and that of the werewolf _can't_ be divided. I don't think we will find a cure for his transfor…"

Harry then smiled as an idea formed in his mind, before he looked over to Tobius. "What do you feel when you use Wolfsbane? After you've transformed."

"I feel calm, like the wolf is asleep or something."

"That's because it is," Draco told them. "The original potion did that anyw…"

"Transform now," Harry cut in

"What?!" was the reply from the other three wizards.

"Transform now," Harry repeated.

"But…but I…I need the full moon to do that!" Tobius exclaimed.

"I think I have a vague idea of what you're thinking, Harry," Remus said. "What do you feel in the days leading up to the full moon, son?"

"Er, in what way?"

"Can you feel the wolf building up inside you?"

"Well, not really," Tobius admitted. "I just feel more tired. Why?"

"I felt the wolf inside me wanting to be released. The closer it got to the next full moon, the more I could feel him."

"That doesn't explain your idea," Draco told them. He, like Tobius, had no idea where Harry and Remus were going with their train of thought.

"I think that Tobius' form is like an animagus transformation," Harry bluntly replied.

Remus nodded. "It might be possible. We should have brought our portrait."

"I did, Remus. I picked it up the day before we came here, mainly so we could explain our situation."

"Oh, so that's why you wanted to go to the mansion. What did we say when we saw you for the first time in thirty years?"

"No idea, I silenced them as soon as I walked into the room."

"I don't think Lily would have liked that somehow," Remus commented, trying his best to not think about Sirius' reaction either.

"Nor do I, but she'll get over it," Harry replied before turning to Tobius. "Can you try to release him now?"

The younger Lupin gave a shrug and closed his eyes, concentrating on trying to transform. Harry, Draco and Remus all watched intently, trying to see if there was any change at all with Tobius. Fifteen minutes later, the only change they could see were the beads of sweat trickling down his face before his eyes snapped open.

"I'm…sorry, I…I couldn't…" he panted.

"It doesn't matter," Harry told him. "It was just an idea."

Tobius shook his head. "But that's just it, I _did _feel something there! But I couldn't single it out."

Harry then walked over and picked a book off the shelf.

"Start reading" he said, handing it to Tobius who read the title; 'Animagi – Everything You Need To Know.'

Harry went back to his room while Remus and Draco also grabbed a book each from the shelf.

Their silence was broken by a rather loud female voice. "HARRY JAMES POTTER! HOW _DARE_ YOU DO THAT TO US AFTER WE HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN THIRTY RUDDY YEARS!"

"I never imagined that I'd feel sorry for Harry," Draco mused.

"You'll be even sorrier for him when Lily actually gets into her stride, let me tell you," Remus told him.

This was confirmed by the rather one-sided conversation that lasted for the next half an hour.


	10. Chapter 10 – A Long And Wanding Process

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Yeah, I admit that this chapter may be a bit boring…but it had to be written for later on, ok...and if _that's_ not a hint, I honestly don't know what is, lol!

Oh, and also check out a nice one-shot from the perspective of Fawkes by SongOfStars, called 'Dumbledore And Fawkes Through The Years'. Just be warned; it _does_ have spoilers for both OotP and HBP, and it is a little bit darkish...but it's still really good _(nods)_

Also, for all those Ron/Hermione fans, supernova8610 has a series of letters (Letters Of Friendship) you might like. Also, for a 'past' time travel fic with a twist (at least, from what I've been told there's a twist, lol), check out shy-n-great's 'Matchmaking The Past'. Shameless plugs? I guess, but hey, they help me so I help them _(grin)_

* * *

**Chapter 10 – A Long And Wand-ing Process**

While Tobius and Draco poured over books about Animagi and Potions respectively, Harry and Remus were spending their time equally as differently. Remus had decided to teach himself French, while Harry had been flicking through Trent's old notes when he stumbled upon an interesting elective he had taken in his final year; wand making.

Harry was intrigued as he had no idea how wands were made, and it appeared that Trent originally felt the same way as one of his first comments was 'why do they do this subject when everyone already has a wand?' Both of their questions were answered a few pages over when a hastily scribbled down paragraph informed Harry that the only way to truly have a wand of your own was to craft it yourself. It then referred him to a textbook which Trent had stored in his trunk.

After skipping through the first few chapters which were about the origin of wand making, he at last came to the process of making one. Harry's eyes bulged at the amount of questions he needed to answer for his 'perfect fit' to be found; eighty-two pages. He figured that Trent must have gotten bored since only half of the first page questions were filled out.

Harry shrugged and decided to fill out the questions, thinking to himself; 'why not? After all, it would be nice to have a backup wand in case anything happened to my own'.

He knew that while he could do wandless magic efficiently, there was something nice about the security of having a wand. He grabbed a scroll of parchment and began the questionnaire.

_Question one; are you witch or wizard?_

_Question two; are you pureblood, halfblood or muggleborn?_

_Question three; what age can you first remember doing any magic?_

Harry scratched his head trying to answer that question. He eventually settled on colouring the hair of one of his teachers in primary school. He then sighed as he read through the rest of the questions, realising why Trent had stopped so soon; this was going to take forever.

* * *

"Why are you doing that, Harry?" Remus asked after Harry had told him what the questions he had been asking himself out loud were for. 

"Well, just in case anything ever happens to mine," he replied. "How's your French coming along?"

"Slowly," Remus admitted. "But then again, we've only been here for a month, so hopefully things will pick up as time goes on."

Harry nodded in understanding. "What about Tobius? Is he making any progress?"

"The portrait has been helping him…well, Peter has been. James and Sirius seem to be more interested in listing all the things that can go wrong."

Harry smiled at that. He had heard several 'helpful' comments coming from those two…along with snide comebacks by both Draco and Tobius. In fact, Harry was rather grateful for Sirius and his Dad as they both had redirected Lily's anger off of himself and Remus. He was sure he could still hear her voice ringing in his ears when he went to sleep.

"When does he hope to be finished the process?"

"Well, he doesn't have to find the 'animal within' like they did of course, but he hopes to attempt the transformation again in a few months. He's still in the process of researching as much as he can about werewolves."

Harry nodded again. He had briefly read through what animagic involved and he could easily see why it was considered to be one of the more difficult branches for a wizard to study.

"I don't envy him at all. At least we're in the right place for it. If he can't find enough information in here, he'll never find it."

"True, do you know what Draco's doing with his time?"

"Wasn't he trying to perfect that Felix Felicis potion? He said he's never been able to get it right before."

"I'm not sure. He muttered something about the Dreamless Sleep draft."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. He's obsessed with trying to do what Hermione couldn't. He wants to figure out a way to not make that potion addictive if you take too much of it."

"I see. Well, I'll let you get back to your nearly impossible task of making your own wand, shall I?"

"It's not impossible! I just…well I…er, ok fine, it's not the easiest thing I've done, I'll admit that," he conceded, glaring at Remus who was smiling at him. Harry then smirked back, "but I bet it's easier than learning French!"

"La Ferme, Monsieur Potter," Remus replied, smirking evilly at Harry's totally mystified look.

Just as he was leaving he had a change of heart and turned to Harry. "It means 'shut up', by the way."

"Oh, right. I'll have to remember that one."

* * *

Harry finished the final question and looked to see what the next step was. According to the book, he now had to 'lock' his answers in. Harry had no idea how to do this since the book didn't say what to lock them in with so he flipped through Trent's notes and breathed a sigh of relief as he had written it down. 

He waved his hand (since he couldn't use his wand as the book said this would ruin the results of the whole process), muttering the three charms he needed to complete the process; one for the length of the wand, one for the core and the other for the type of material.

His answers glowed a soft purple colour before all fusing together. Harry panicked as the book hadn't mentioned anything about this kind of thing happening. Before long, the entire scroll was blank and Harry let out a groan.

"Great. All that time and now I'll have to redo…"

He stopped mid-sentence as the parchment began to glow, this time gold, and new words appeared on it in silver.

_Name: Harry James Potter_

_Birthdate: July 31, 1980_

_Date test completed: Exact date unknown due to unforeseen circumstances_

_Test results –_

_Best matched length of wand: twelve and five-eighth inches_

_Best matched material of wand: a blend of Holly and Teak, encased in Graphite_

_Best matched core: single white phoenix feather loosely entwined with single pegasus tail hair, single thestral tail hair and a single strand of fur from a true werewolf_

The writing stopped after this, and Harry sat there, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. He figured that the 'unforeseen circumstances' were because they were in the Spirit Room where time flows differently. According to the book however, his core was, in fact, four. It listed the phoenix feather and pegasus hair as being 'pure of heart/light', thestral hair as 'mysterious and being in dangerous situations' and the werewolf fur as 'a darker side, yet loyal to your pack/friends'. He had read from Trent's notes that most self-made wand contained two cores, with none ever being opposites like his appeared to be.

'Great, why does everything like this happen to _me_?' he wondered.

* * *

"Well, you were right, Remus. It's nearly impossible." 

"Oh, and why is that?" Tobius asked as he looked up from his thirty-fifth book about Animagi.

"I have four cores."

Draco spluttered in surprise. "F…four?'! The most anyone's ever had is…"

"Three, by Merlin and the Founders. I know," Harry finished.

"Werewolf fur? I've never even heard of it being used for wand cores before" Remus said as he looked over Harry's list.

"It wasn't very popular because it was rather temperamental when used at night," Harry answered sitting down on the lounge.

Remus and Tobius both let out a snort, before Remus gave Harry a smile. "I see. Let me guess, you want to ask Tobius about using his fur since he's a 'true werewolf', but you don't want to because you think it's rude, correct?"

"Well, yeah."

"It's ok, Harry. I'll be only too happy to help after I finish the animagus training."

"Thanks, Tobius. I'll need Fawkes too."

"You can't use Fawkes, Harry," Remus bluntly said.

"Why not? Doesn't he have any white feathers?"

"Well, I don't know, but Fawkes is a phoenix…"

"Really? I never knew that, Remus," Harry cut in, grinning at him.

"Whereas you need a _white_ phoenix," Remus finished, ignoring Harry remark.

"There's a difference?" Harry asked.

"Yes, phoenixes are rare, whereas white phoenixes are extinct," Draco told him, with Remus nodding in agreement, adding the same thing about pegasus'.

"Oh…well _that's_ going to make it rather difficult then."

* * *

A further seven months passed, with the portrait of James, Sirius and Peter being used to describe what transforming into your animagus form actually felt like. Remus, of course, helped them with the overall process while they were at school, but he didn't know the little subtleties of the whole process, while Lily couldn't help them terribly much either. Tobius had to truly know his animal…after all, there's no point to becoming the animal without knowing how to behave as one. 

"Right, now son, are you ready to try this again?" the portrait Remus asked.

"Yeah," was Tobius' rather uneasy reply. He had managed to fully complete the transformation a month ago, but this time Harry was going to summon the moon after he had changed.

Tobius then closed his eyes, concentrating on every feature, every muscle, everything, not just physical, but the mental aspects as well. He could feel himself changing, and he allowed himself a small smile. Unlike his forced transformation, this one didn't hurt at all. It just felt like he was slipping into a set of dress robes…different from usual, yet somehow not. James had described it as being an extension of yourself, one you had to embrace rather than be afraid of, and Tobius agreed with his assessment.

He blinked open his eyes and found himself on the floor on all fours. He could hear everyone around him since he kept his human mind throughout the process.

"Brilliant! I think that's the quickest he's done it in!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Settle down, Padfoot, we've still got the hard part to come," James replied, though he also had a goofy grin on his face.

"He needs a…"

"No nickname, Sirius," both Remus' warned him at the same time.

"But…"

"Don't make me silence you," the older Remus threatened, raising his wand, and Sirius gulped but nodded.

Harry then closed his eyes and began the process of calling for the moon. Like last time, darkness enveloped them, before the silvery glow beamed down upon them. Tobius tensed a little as the light approached him, wondering how he would react. He wasn't even aware that he had shut his eyes, but he quickly opened them when he heard Draco's voice beside him.

"Feel anything?"

Tobius looked up at him and slowly shook his head. He then nuzzled against Draco's leg before doing the same to Harry and, lastly, his father, who could easily decipher his message; thanks Dad.


	11. Chapter 11 – Arrivals

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Now you will see that I don't plan to have this story revolve solely around Hogwarts. I always fully intended to include the other schools in this fic…and was highly annoyed when I couldn't find much info about either of them, let me tell you! That meant that I had to write about something that isn't described anywhere, and I couldn't find many other fics that I could use for assistance either!

Now, I have no idea which country Durmstrang is in, but I've decided to have it in Romania…hope you don't mind. I know that it is most likely _not_ there, since JKR mentions something about it being in the north, but for this fic, Romania it is.

My sincere thanks to Song, Vilya and Super who all helped greatly with this chapter :D

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Arrivals**

"You know," Remus mused as the four of them were sitting around waiting for the door to appear so they could leave. "You never did tell me why you weren't longer at the mansion when all you said you did was pick up the portrait and pack some things."

"I ran into Dobby," Harry answered.

_-flashback-_

"I'll come back when I'm done at the mansion, Remus."

Harry watched as Remus nodded, before vanishing with a 'crack', landing nearby Godric's Hollow. He looked over where the house should be, and found the block to be empty. Harry then concentrated on the message Hermione had told both he and Remus before they left; 'the Marauders live in Godric's Hollow.'

No sooner had Harry thought this, the familiar sight of the mansion appeared before his eyes. He stepped inside and had barely taken three steps when he heard a 'thump' and something latched onto his leg.

"Harry Potter sir has returned!"

"Er, hi Dobby. How have you been?" Harry replied, prying the elf from his leg.

"Dobby is been good, Harry, sir. Dobby been cleaning the house for your return."

"So I see," Harry mused, looking around at the spotless room. "Hermione said something about you having help here now."

Dobby's eyes lit up, and a toothy smile broke out on his face. "Winky been helping, sir."

"Oh right. How is Winky?"

"She is sleeping, sir. She is been busy looking after little ones."

"Little ones?"

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby and Winky have little ones."

Harry's face finally dawned in recognition. "Congratulations then, Dobby. How many and old are they?"

"We have three now. Oldest is ten."

"Er, not to sound rude or anything, Dobby, but how old do house elves live for?"

Dobby looked at Harry is surprise, and his ears drooped a little. "I am not knowing, sir."

Harry nodded in understanding. "That's alright. I just need to get some stuff from my room and I'll be on my way."

"It be an honour to do that for you, sir."

Before Harry could even argue, Dobby clicked his fingers and vanished from sight. Harry sighed and pushed open the door into the living room and froze with what he heard.

"Finally! About time you…"

Whatever Sirius had been about to say was cut off when Harry waved his wand and silenced the portrait.

"Sorry guys, but I really don't want to explain it again. Besides, after Dobby gets the rest of my stuff from my room, I'll be going over to Remus'."

Judging by the glares all five of them were giving him, this wasn't exactly the answer they had been waiting for.

He didn't have to wait long before Dobby popped in front of him with another trunk.

"Thanks Dobby. I'll come back and visit when I can, ok?"

"It is great honour to serve Harry Potter sir," he replied, shaking Harry's hand.

Harry then grabbed the trunk before apparating to Remus' house with a 'crack'.

* * *

Harry walked into the living room where he found Remus sitting on the lounge, staring at the photos on the shelves. Most were of himself and Bernadine, with the remaining ones being of Tobius as he grew up. An empty box was sitting on the floor, which Harry guessed was to put Remus' belongings in, but he hadn't got around to doing that just yet. 

Remus sighed and slowly stood up. "You think I'm…"

"Acting exactly like you should," Harry finished for him, giving him a smile which Remus slowly returned.

An awkward silence followed before Harry spoke. "Why don't you come back after our time in the Spirit Room, Remus? It'll give both of us a chance to sort everything out about this time."

He didn't have to add the fact that it would also allow Remus proper time to grieve. Remus nodded his head, and Harry apparated them both back to Hogwarts, leaving an orange flash of light behind them.

_-end flashback-_

"I still don't think it was very nice that you stole our house elf, Harry," Draco said, glaring at him.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe not, but you didn't see Dobby blast your Dad clear across the room and down the stairs in our second year. After seeing that, I didn't _really_ fancy him doing that to me if I turned him down."

This comment was met by smiles, before the four of them started laughing.

* * *

The remaining time in the Spirit Room passed quickly, with Remus continuing to learn French, Draco working on potions, and Tobius and Harry looking into spells that might work against the vampires. Harry and Remus found a 'welcome back' card from Dobby when they arrived back at their quarters, his writing much improved from the card he gave Harry for his birthday. The days leading up to Remus and Harry's departure for the two other schools were filled with Remus trying to remember what charms they had used on the map, while the portrait was able to fill in any blanks he had. 

Finally, the weekend came, and after breakfast in the Great Hall, it was time to go.

"Don't forget to give them the mirrors," Hermione reminded them as they exited the castle.

The portrait Sirius asked why they couldn't make mirrors to communicate with each other like he and James had done. Harry found the why-didn't-I-think-of-that look on Hermione's face to be priceless, as did quite a few other people.

"We won't," Remus answered. "But we're not sure how long we'll be, it could even be a couple of weeks before we come back."

"Yeah, I thought so too. Could be interesting trying to guess any passwords," Harry replied.

"Oh don't worry, Harry," Remus said, a sly smile on his face as he did so. "Besides, you have the list of what spells to use for the map, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but…" Harry trailed his voice off as Remus spoke to him telepathically.

'Then just say the map password and you'll find some helpful extra spells for that little problem.'

"But what, Harry?" Tobius asked at Harry's silence

"Oh, well I just remembered who my father and godfather were," he lied, satisfying everyone, except for Remus who gave him a knowing smile.

"Well then, I guess you two should head off, we don't want to keep them waiting," Hermione said.

"You're right. We'll keep you updated when we can" Harry replied, before looking over to Remus and nodding.

The two wizards felt the familiar tug from behind their navels as they activated their respective portkeys; Romania and France their destinations.

* * *

Harry looked up as he felt his feet land on the soft ground. He was glad that Hermione had suggested to wear a thicker robe, as, despite the fact that it was autumn, there was a cold bite in the air. Harry scanned his destination; tall, majestic, snow-capped mountains, seemingly from the dark ages, surrounded by shadows overlooking a grand valley filled with trees and a giant lake. The valley appeared empty; as though no one had lived there since the beginning of time. But what one didn't know was that the valley was very much alive, for there was a great castle which one could only find if you had been there before, or if someone who knew its exact location told you. 

Harry opened the note Viktor had sent and read the instructions. He vaguely recognised the handwriting, but couldn't place it. He had just finished reading the letter when it dissolved into nothingness.

'Must be a precaution,' Harry mused before thinking about what he had read. Out of nowhere, a castle materialised in front of his eyes, but this castle was no ordinary castle. It was a castle used to educate children and young adults in the magical arts. This was Durmstrang.

If Hogwarts had a unique sense of comfort every time he arrived there, this was the complete opposite. Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle as he saw the black, foreboding, four storey castle nestled at the foot of mountains that completely surrounded the most renowned school for teaching the Dark Arts and their defences in the world. He was soon brought from his thoughts as a familiar figure came marching towards him.

"Harry Potter, ve meet yet again. I vondered ven you vould be arriving."

"Hello Viktor, good to see you. I do hope your students aren't being too much trouble?" Harry replied with a smile as he stuck out a hand, which Viktor gladly shook.

"Not at all. I am thinking they are scared that I vould ban them from flying around the grounds."

"Well, you'd probably be able to catch them on broomsticks anyway, Viktor," he replied with a grin. He had a pretty fair idea of how much Viktor enjoyed flying around these very grounds, since he had overheard Hermione and him talking during the Yule ball in Harry's fourth year.

"True. I vould like to think you vant to come inside. Ve haf a lot to discuss."

Harry nodded, and Viktor headed back towards the entrance with Harry following close behind.

* * *

Remus found himself standing in a meadow and smiled as he looked around. The French countryside was filled with rolling grasslands under a bright blue sky. There were trees scattered here and there, offering just the right amount of shade on a hot afternoon, he thought. 

The wizard then opened his letter, scanning its contents before seeing it disintegrate in front of his eyes. He closed his eyes and thought about what he'd just read. When he next opened them, he gave a small gasp as a magnificent palace was nestled comfortably among the soft green hills, shining white under the warm, golden sun.

Remus slowly walked up the stone path that led towards the castle, entranced by the sight. While the castle didn't appear to feel as majestic as Hogwarts, he still felt a similar thrill when he saw it for the first time. He even felt a small sense of sadness that he hadn't attended Beauxbatons, but shrugged it off as some kind of charm.

Remus was amazed at the detail of the beautiful sculptures that were located along the path. He was so engrossed with one of a woman that that reminded him of Bernadine that he whirled around sharply when he heard a voice.

"Good afternoon, Monsieur Lupin," Gabrielle said, ignoring the fact that Remus had his wand trained on her.

Remus smiled again and stowed his wand before greeting her. "Bonjour, Professeur Delacour."

"Vous parlez français!" _(You speak French!)_ she replied with a slightly stunned look on her face.

Remus nodded. "Un peu, ça ne fait qu'un an que j'apprends." _(A little, I've only been learning for a year.)_

Gabrielle smiled before answering him in English. "Zat is going to make zings a leetle eezier. Please, follow me. I was very 'appy to hear zat you would teach a class."

"Well, it is on a subject that I know well," Remus replied. He had accepted the offer to teach the third year Defence students about werewolves.

Gabrielle gave him another smile before the two of them continued up the path towards the castle.


	12. Chapter 12 – Into The West

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Ok, they've both arrived, and both schools have their own chapter…starting with Durmstrang. The spell names I came up with were from an English to Latin translator website where I was playing around with words for what I wanted the spells to do, lol!

Um…the title is based on a little fact within this chapter (it's also the end credits song from my fav movie, but anyway). It isn't referring to where the school is, since Romania isn't really Western Europe.

_(sigh)_ April cannot come quick enough...first work, now my car. I swear I can hear the Gods laughing at me _(rolls eyes)_

* * *

**Chapter 12 – Into The West**

Harry followed Viktor through very narrow dark corridors, just wide enough for one person. Torches were giving off a low glow, but Harry was still having trouble seeing the back of Viktor. They were currently heading in what appeared to be a never ending spiral, though Harry guessed they were circling slowly towards the centre. He wondered if this was an internal security issue, like Hogwarts had the moving stairs.

Harry smiled to himself as he remembered something Remus told him during his second year of teaching. How Remus had pondered a similar question, and found out what one _shouldn't_ do during his fifth year.

_-flashback-_

Remus, Peter, Sirius and James were just exiting their classroom, with Remus' constant nagging starting to grate on the others nerves.

"For Merlin's sake, can't you just shut up about our OWL's for _one_ minute?"

"Well, I'm sorry that you don't share my concerns, Jam…"

"Concerned? You sound just a _tiny_ bit more than that, Moony," Sirius cut in with a roll of his eyes.

Remus glared at him, which Sirius ignored as he got a wicked grin on his face and jumped onto the handrail of the stairs.

"Hey, watch this!" he said as he slid down the rail, to his friends shock and amusement.

"You know what would be really funny?" James asked.

"Yeah, if the stairs decided to…"

Peter didn't finish his sentence as a familiar grinding noise indicated that the staircase was moving…along with Sirius.

"WOOHOO…AAAAAHHHHHHH!"

"Have to say, he has a fantastic sense of balance," James mused as Sirius neared the end of his ride…unlike the stairs.

Just as Sirius slipped off the end of the railing, James casually pointed his wand in the direction of his friend and muttered "mobilicorpus."

Sirius had shut his eyes, and was flapping his arms doing his best flying impression, waiting for that rather uncomfortable feeling of flesh on floor, but it never came. He cracked open an eye, and found himself dangling in midair.

"Er…I meant to do that," he sheepishly said, before he heard Professor McGonagall's voice from below him.

"I'm sure you did, Mr Black. However, I would like to remind you that you have less than a month before your OWL's, and I will not tolerate _any_ interruptions during them."

Her eyes then softened a little as they reached his friends. "Nice work, Potter, that's a NEWT level charm. Though you should probably release him, he's caused enough of a scene as it is" she said, gesturing to the watching crowd.

James, Remus and Peter grinned at each other as they watched her walk off, before the crowd also started to disperse. Just as the three of them reached the second floor for their next class, they heard Sirius' rather annoyed voice.

"Oi! Aren't you going to get me down from here?"

James grinned at the other two. "Did you guys just hear something?"

"No, I couldn't hear a thing, Prongs," Peter replied, his smile just as large as the one on James' face.

"Let's get to the next class, guys. I don't think I need to…"

"You mention OWL's one more time before lunch and I'll hex you into next week, Remus," James warned, and the young werewolf snapped his mouth shut and gulped.

Sirius was watching them from above and thought that they were just playing around. "Ha, ha, you three, very funny. Now would you _please_ let me down?"

His face darkened as he watched his friends disappear from sight. "Ruddy perfect. _Now_ how am I supposed to get down?" he muttered.

"You do remember that you're a wizard, don't you, Sirius?" he heard Remus call out, leaving Sirius feeling rather stupid as he pulled out his wand and lowered himself to the landing, jogging to catch his friends up.

_-end flashback-_

Remus then told him that James had reminded Sirius about it constantly until their OWL's had started. Harry was brought from his thoughts when Viktor stopped in front of a large double set of doors.

"Ve are here, this is the main hall. I vill show you to your room. You vill find the map ve haf created on the desk," Viktor then smiled at Harry. "Along vith a broomstick so you can go flying."

Harry smiled back and went through the doors into the hall. It was similar to Hogwarts with the staff table at the far end, but only two student tables instead of four. Also, the roof wasn't charmed to appear as the night sky, it was just a normal roof.

Viktor led him through a door to the right of where they entered, down another dimly lit corridor, before stopping in front of a door that had no doorknob.

"You vill haf to pick a passvord," Viktor said, confirming what Harry thought.

"Do you remember the door on the left in the hall?" Viktor waited until Harry nodded before continuing. "That is my office."

He shook Harry's hand again, before heading back to his room, leaving Harry to choose a password to his quarters. He knew from Draco that Viktor's office didn't require one as the charms placed on it automatically opened the door for you if you needed to talk to the Headmaster, and also let you know if the Headmaster was not in.

Harry settled on 'Voldemort' as his password again and walked into his room, noticing that it was very similar to the one he and Hermione had as Head Students in their final year.

'I guess Hermione told Viktor about it while we were in the Spirit Room,' Harry guessed before heading to the bedroom, stifling a yawn as he did so.

* * *

Four days passed with the Durmstrang students slowly getting used to the idea that the wizard who had defeated Voldemort was now gracing the halls of their school. Harry had been initially stunned when a second year witch asked him to sign a chocolate frog card for her, which Harry did. This then became a regular occurrence at mealtimes, but it didn't really faze Harry anymore, after all, he was more than used to the attention he received. 

His days were spent scouring the hallways and room of the school, searching for anything that could potentially hide a passageway behind it. He had made good progress, and had completed the top two levels of the school, finding two previously unknown corridors, which both ended up being shortcuts to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. He guessed, along with Viktor and the rest of the staff, that there'd be one on each level since Durmstrang is the most renowned school of the Dark Arts and their defences.

The extra charms Remus had told him about had helped enormously…though he wondered which one of the Marauders found the Perspicusio spell enabling one to see through walls, and if the girls dormitory had been a 'test site'. He had asked Remus via his mirror one night, and Remus had replied rather sheepishly that he had been the one to suggest the spell. He quickly added that he had meant for it to be used to see what was down the passageways, and not for what Sirius had called "late night entertainment."

Harry preferred the charm, Deprehensio Cavus, which gave off a beeping noise if there was something hollow behind walls (much like a muggle metal detector). Obviously it had gone off every time he passed by a door, but it also let him know of any potential secret corridors.

As he was checking one of the rarely used classrooms on the second level of the castle, he heard the telltale beeping of an opening. Harry initially assumed it to have been either the door to the hallway outside, or the storeroom at the front of the class. However, on closer inspection, he discovered it came from the opposite end of the classroom, the corner furthest away from the hallway.

Harry looked around trying to determine exactly what had set off the spell. There wasn't a portrait, statue or anything that looked remotely out of place. He scratched his head, wondering if the spell had made an error, when he noticed a chip out of the corner stone floor tile.

'Hmm, maybe it's like the Honeydukes passage,' Harry thought.

"Altum Aperio," Harry said, touching his wand to the floor and then to the map that Viktor had given him. Just like the Marauder's Map had done, he saw a speech bubble appear next to his name. He looked closer, trying to see what the password was; suptercrepium.

No sooner had Harry said this, he watched the tile tremble a little, before slowly grinding its way into the wall, revealing a stone staircase descending into the darkness. Had Harry still been a student, he would probably not have thought twice about going down the stairs, but he knew better. After a quick chat with Viktor, it was agreed that one of the ghosts would scout out the passageway, just in case there was something dangerous lurking inside.

Nikolai Vlas, the two hundred year old ghost of a Russian former Durmstrang Headmaster, was chosen, and he had left after dinner that day. Harry was still checking the second floor the next day, when Viktor and Nikolai burst into the room where Harry was.

"Potter, you vill not _believe_ vhere that tunnel goes!" Viktor cried.

Nikolai nodded and added "I only arrived back an hour ago."

"An hour ago? That must be one long passageway."

"It is," Viktor agreed. "Leads right into Transylvania."

"One of history's greatest vampire colony locations," Nikolai finished, though Harry didn't need to be told that.

"Did anyone see you?" Harry asked.

"No, I could not detect any magical traces at all. It vould seem the vampires no longer call it home."

"It might be worth checking that out," Harry said. "If it is abandoned right now, maybe we should set up some perimeter charms to alert us if they come back."

Viktor agreed, and said he'd ask Korbach Predislov, the Charms Professor, if he could help on the weekend.

* * *

Saturday saw two specks of light following each other through a narrow cold, damp corridor. Nikolai had decided to come with them as he could tell Harry and Korbach what to expect. They didn't come across any nasty surprises, though there was a bit of a drop in the pathway along the way. The trip didn't take anywhere near as long as Harry thought it would, but knew it was because Nikolai had been asked to check the passage very carefully for any signs of danger, whereas this time, he already knew what to expect. 

As Nikolai, Korbach and Harry neared the end of the tunnel, they could make out a forest. Nikolai informed them that was where the passage ended. Harry wiped the sweat from his brow, and looked over watching the tall Professor doing the same. His long black hair was covered with dirt which he cleaned with a simple spell. The two wizards put on their invisibility cloaks and went to work at putting up the wards around where the previous known locations of vampires were.

The sun was setting when they finished, giving the forest an eerie glow. Harry hadn't picked up any magical traces during the whole time they had been here, which confirmed the ghost's claim of the place being deserted. Korbach cast a charm on the passageway also, reasoning that they'd be able to detect if someone was using it, which Harry agreed with.

Just as they were about to head back through the tunnel, Harry stopped.

"Vhat is it?" Korbach whispered in a thick Croatian accent.

"I'm not sure," Harry answered, his eyes straining to see into the forest because of the fading light. "Something doesn't quite make sense about this. Why would they leave?"

"I do not know, I found that quite strange also. There is nothing in history books suggesting the vampires vere forced out."

"Another hideout perhaps?" Nikolai suggested, floating next to Harry.

"Not sure…it's just that I get the distinct feeling that we've overlooked something."

"Fidelius charm?" Korbach asked.

Harry shook his head. "I can sense those, or rather, I can sense if there's people inside. Maybe I'm just imagining things."

Korbach looked at Harry carefully, scrutinising his face before allowing himself a small smile. "Ve both know you vouldn't imagine something like that. Ve should come back later though, the sun has set, my friend."

With that, Korbach turned and headed back into the passageway, with Nikolai and Harry following, but that nagging feeling didn't leave Harry, even when they arrived back at the familiar sight of the classroom.

* * *

The next few days passed by quickly, with Harry finishing off the rest of the castle, along with the grounds outside. One other passageway had been discovered, which led to the same forest, about half a mile from the other exit. Again, Harry still had that feeling, but he couldn't find any evidence to back this up with. The only times the perimeter charms had been triggered were when Harry had gone back to the forest, but other than that, it had been as quiet as a mouse. 

Harry had tried to ease his thoughts by helping with the first years flying lessons, and even some of the Quidditch practices. He had reported back to Hermione three times since he'd been at Durmstrang, while Viktor had also talked with her through the charmed mirrors. Harry had only talked with Remus the once (when he first found out about the extra charms to help with the map), but reasoned he could wait to talk with him when they were both back at Hogwarts.

His final day at Durmstrang had been filled with the remaining students who hadn't gotten their 'Legend' card signed asking for his autograph, and also co-teaching the Patronus charm with Korbach to the final year students. Harry's trunk had been packed and shrunken to fit in his robe, when he went down for an early dinner. After everyone had finished eating Harry had been given a rousing cheer and applause when Viktor had told everyone that he'd be back, shooting Harry a you-had-_better_-come-back look which Harry could only smile at.

He politely shook hands with the Professors and students, before making his way outside to the edge of the apparition wards. He had told Viktor that there was no need for a portkey to be given to him as he much preferred the feeling of apparating. Just before he did though, he thought that it was about time he visit Dudley, and choose to stop in on the way back. With that thought, he vanished in a bright burst of orange.


	13. Chapter 13 – Pride Of The South

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Ok then, last chapter was Harry and Durmstrang, so this one is Remus and Beauxbatons. If you didn't guess what the last chapter title was about, I'll help you out; Transylvania – vampires – sunset – west…got it now?

This chapter title is based on the fact that I live in NZ (and also that I imagine Beauxbatons to be in the south of France)…it's the slogan of a brand of beer actually, lol!

Again, thanks to the nicest French-Canadian I know, Vilya, for being my translator _(big hugs)_, and also to daemonwolf (on the off chance that she actually reads this story), who made me feel much better knowing that someone else shares a similar line of thinking with the 'true' werewolf stuff if her profile is any guide. Oh, and also to a Marauders cartoon website which no longer exists…thanks for giving an eerily similar account of how I think Remus felt about his transformations :)

Er, I take it by the sheer number of reviews I have received, that no one has any questions about anything in the story...nothing at all...everything is fine and dandy...I _highly_ doubt that, lolol! I know I cannot answer questions directly in these notes, but I can send you a message if you have an account or email address.

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Pride Of The South**

Remus sighed as he looked out the window and across the glittering blue of the lake from his room that had been prepared for him. The last week had stirred up memories, both fond and painful. He had thoroughly enjoyed scoping out hidden passageways, smiling as he remembered doing the exact same thing during his own school days, before his smile slowly turned into a frown as he knew James, Peter and Sirius would love to have been helping him.

He had only talked to Harry once, but Hermione had informed him of the passageways he had found. Remus felt a surge of pride run through him, knowing how proud James would have been, though he also felt somewhat frustrated since he himself hadn't been able to find anything out of the ordinary at Beauxbatons (save for three 'short cut passages'). But he also knew that his experience in searching Hogwarts with his friends meant that Remus had finished much earlier than Harry and was able to relax a little…even allowing for how the wards worked.

If Durmstrang had initially given Harry the chills, Beauxbatons had been just the opposite for Remus. The corridors were all well lit, with plenty of room for people to pass by one another. The whole school felt like a Veela; one minute it was welcoming you, the next you found yourself spat outside in front of the main gates. Remus had later read that these were the protection wards, preventing one from getting into places they should not be; secret passageways.

Remus had to admit it was the strangest sensation he could remembering experiencing. When he came across the first short cut passageway, the area he had been standing in appeared to swirl around. He found himself getting dizzy as the room continued going faster and faster, before Remus noticed a small black hole opening in front of him. Then, with a noise that Remus could only describe as being similar to letting the plug out of a sink, the wizard suddenly found himself being drawn into the hole, before being ungracefully dumped outside.

Undeterred, Remus continued to try to access the passageway, only for the same thing to happen to him again. After the tenth time of trying, he admitted defeat and he went to find Gabrielle to see if she knew about them. Of course, in the presence of the current Headmistress, the passageway immediately granted them entrance, leaving Remus feeling rather embarrassed, and Gabrielle quite amused.

He had spent most of the previous day by the lake, oblivious to the excited whispers that the students who saw him were doing. In fact, he had even given up his afternoon talking with a group of second year students, helping them with some of the spells they were having trouble with. He also wondered if his hand would fall off from signing chocolate frog cards, and felt a rush of jealousy at how easy Harry made it all look. Remus then reminded himself that Harry had spent the better part of his life dealing with such things, whereas it was still all rather new to him.

Remus shook himself from these thoughts as he made his way down to the main hall for lunch, before it was time for the Defence class that he was to take. Remus' main concern lay with whether or not his French lessons had been successful...and exactly how many minutes he would last before Gabrielle needed to translate for him.

* * *

Remus felt everyone's eyes on him as he was being introduced to the class. He noticed that Liana de Valle, the Defence Professor was standing at the back of the room. Her long silvery blonde hair gave away the fact that she was part Veela, and her light blue eyes were watching him intently. Remus knew from Gabrielle that everyone at the school had been informed about his and Harry's 'trip', and he wondered how his nerves would cope with teaching an entirely different group of wizards and witches…in a foreign language. 

"Accueillez-le chaleureusement; Monsieur Lupin." _(Please make him feel welcome; Mr Lupin.)_

Polite applause filled the room and quickly brought Remus from his thoughts.

"Merci, Professeur Delacour. Vous devrez m'excuser, ma français est très mauvais." _(Thank you, Professor Delacour. You shall have to excuse me, my French isn't terribly good.)_

Remus allowed himself a small smile as most of the class politely laughed at his admission.

"J'aimerais vous adresser par vos noms. Est-ce que quelqu'un veut voir ma petite problème poilu?" _(I'd like to address students by name. Would someone like to see my furry little problem?)_

Everyone looked blankly at him, and Remus knew instantly that he didn't say what he had meant to. He overheard frantic whispers and muffled laughs about whether he was teaching the right class. He then spoke in English to Gabrielle who smiled broadly as she nodded in understanding.

"Monsieur Lupin dit qu'il aimerait connaître vos noms. Y aurait-il quelque chose que vous vouliez savoir à propos des loups-garous?" _(Mr Lupin said that he likes to address everyone by name. Is there anything you want to know about werewolves?)  
_  
Several students raised their hands to ask a question, and Remus pointed to a small, blonde-haired witch in the third row.

"Je m'appelle Aimée Pichon. Pourriez-vous décrire ce que vous ressentiez au moment de la pleine lune et avant?" _(My name's Aimée Pichon. Can you describe what you felt in the time leading up to the full moon?)_

"Er, pardon, est-ce que vous pouvez redire…une peu plus lentement?" _(Er, sorry, but could you please repeat that…a little slower?)_ Remus asked, glancing at Gabrielle who nodded at him.

Aimée did so, and Remus furrowed his brow in concentration after Gabrielle had translated her question for him.

"Well, Aimée, it's difficult to describe," he began, with Gabrielle repeating it in French. "I experienced several emotions leading up to every transformation. The main instinct I had was to defend my friends or my pack if you like. This usually meant that I'd glare or growl at someone if they even said the smallest insult about them."

The final comment brought a few smiles to the class, and Remus continued. "The most obvious change is that I appeared to get sicker the closer the full moon came. The reason for this is that the wolf within you is beginning to take over, and we become less…human."

Aimée smiled and nodded when Remus asked if he had answered her question. The next question was about the differences between someone who was bitten, and one who was born a werewolf. Remus inwardly smiled as he remembered going through those very differences in the Spirit Room with Tobius, Harry and Draco.

The main differences between the two types of werewolf was that for Remus, his first transformation occurred the first full moon after he had been bitten, whereas Tobius only transformed on the full moon after his tenth birthday. A true werewolf had slightly longer eyeteeth and pointy ears, but you wouldn't notice either unless you were closely looking for them. Tobius also didn't have to put up with the emotional range that Remus went through. Both types had better than normal eyesight, smell and reflexes, with a slight increase in physical strength while they were human.

There was very little difference between the two after transforming, with the only noticeable change being that Tobius could keep his mind at will now that it was determined that his transformation was, effectively, a form of animagus. This also meant that Tobius didn't have to 'wait' for the full moon to be able to transform. His eyes also changed to a deep golden colour, while Remus' went to a dark yellow state.

Remus went on to tell them that a true werewolf was slightly more susceptible to silver; Tobius still had burn marks on his hand from when he was little and tried to use silver cutlery, whereas Remus' burns usually faded entirely given time. However, should silver actually penetrate the bloodstream, either in human or wolf form, neither type would live.

The student nodded, satisfied that Remus had answered the question. He then was asked how he was able to attend Hogwarts, considering the fact that Voldemort was recruiting them, giving people even less reason to trust werewolves. Remus answered that Albus had taken several steps to ensure the safety of the school, and gave them a brief rundown of the Whomping Willow and Shrieking Shack.

Remus then smiled as someone asked about his nickname (which they had gotten from the chocolate frog Marauder card), so he told the story of why James, Sirius and Peter did what they did. Remus conveniently left out the little fact that he had nearly killed Severus, seeing no reason to tell them unless someone asked.

He then gestured for a small, rather shy, brown haired wizard to ask his question. "Bonjour, je suis Olivier Rivés," he began. "Êtiez-vous appréhensif lorsque vous aviez à subir la transformation?" Olivier asked timidly. _(Bonjour, I'm Olivier Rivés. Were you scared when you had to transform?)_

He nodded as Olivier's question was translated for him. "Very much so. You try being locked in a room once a month for the whole night with a predator," he answered, smiling at the wizard who had asked the question.

Remus then closed his eyes. "I felt alienated. There was no one I could talk to about it. Everyone feared us, all because of what they saw one night a month. They never considered that we were human for the rest of the time.

"Throughout my time at Hogwarts, I often wondered what my life would have been like if I hadn't been bitten. And when I wasn't thinking about that, I thought about whether I'd have the slightest idea what normal would be like if I ever got cured."

Remus then sighed. "When I was a wolf, I could never remember being human. But when I was human, I always remembered being a wolf. And those memories were never pleasant. There were times I'd stay up all night, staring at my friends while they slept, wondering if they knew what I was really capable of. I dreamt of waking in a pool of blood, slowly realising that I had killed them. I'd scream and they'd comfort me, telling me jokes and trying to calm me down.

"As for the actual transformation, well…even before the sun went down, I felt the walls of the room I was taken to close in. I felt the hunger and the rage of the wolf building up inside me. I felt the heat, the pressure and the heavy sense of urgency in the air. I felt the dark hopelessness of inevitability as it came crashing through my mind and I wondered; how much longer could I take it?"

Had Remus looked up, he would have noticed that everyone was staring at him, lapping up every word he had been saying. He would have seen several of the students with tear marks on their faces, but he was still lost in past memories when Gabrielle, with tears in her eyes, embraced him.

* * *

The trip into Pyren, the small magical village about ten minutes from the school and just outside or Lourdes had been a welcome break for students and staff alike. Remus was quite relieved to see that Honeydukes had a branch, along with Zonkos, as he had been worried that he wouldn't know any of the shops at all. He and some of the staff, including Gabrielle and Liana, were currently sitting at a table in The Châteaux, which was the French equivalent of The Three Broomsticks, making small talk; mainly discussing how Remus had found being in a different environment than he was used to. 

They finished lunch and the small group broke apart, with Remus electing to go to the lookout which, according to its history, gave 'the best view of the Pyrenees Mountains Magical or Muggle'. He soon found he wasn't alone, as several wizards and witches were admiring the same sight. The incredible sight of the mountain range towering into the sky, with snow-capped peaks even caused Remus to stare. He had never before had the time to take a holiday, even in the years after Voldemort's defeat since he spent all year teaching. Every time he tried to get away, which Bernadine constantly wanted to do when the summer holidays came, something always managed to come up and scupper any plans.

Remus readjusted his cloak as a late afternoon breeze swept over him when his thoughts were broken by a shrill scream. Nearly everyone at the lookout turned to see what had happened, but no one was prepared for what greeted their sight.

'Wonderful,' Remus dryly thought before shouting to everyone, "qui peut faire une Patronus?'!" _(Who can cast a Patronus?'!)_

Four people nodded and stepped forward while Remus inwardly grimaced. "Très bien, le reste, partez!" _(Very well, the rest you need to leave!)_ he urged.

That shook the small crowd out of their daze, and people were then scrambling over each other, trying to apparate away. Remus was about to speak to those that had remained when it came; the cold…the darkness…the swarm.


	14. Chapter 14 – Anything You Can Do…

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

_(whistles innocently)_ interesting…I expected hate-mail for leaving the last chapter there, lol! I'm pretty sure you all figured out what was going on at Pyren though…but what about young Mr Potter?

And this chapter is dedicated to Song who simply _loves_ section breaks! Ooooh, I can even feel her glare from here, lmao!

Oh, you might also be wondering how long this fic will end up being...and I would have absolutely _no idea_. At this stage, I would guess that the number of chapters will be between 40 and 50, and word-wise I suppose roughly the same as Prisoner of Azkaban.

* * *

**Chapter 14 – Anything You Can Do…**

Harry arrived in the middle of the empty living room of Dudley's house, completely oblivious of the events taking place in the south of France. He could hear a female voice coming from what must have been the kitchen if the smell of a roast dinner told him anything. A quick glance at the clock on the wall told Harry it was half past four in the afternoon, so Harry guessed that Vanessa was in the early stages of getting dinner prepared.

He took the opportunity to look around the room, noticing that, unlike Privet Drive, there were wizarding photos proudly showing off Brendan with his Hogwarts letter, as well as several of him in his robes. Harry was admiring a photo of what must have been the whole family when a scream snapped him back to reality. Acting on reflex, his wand was out and trained on the person in a flash.

A woman with longish brown hair and hazel eyes was staring at Harry with her mouth open. Her scream had brought the attention of someone upstairs, and Harry heard the unmistakable voice of his cousin.

"Vanessa dear, what happ…" Dudley's voice stopped abruptly as he spotted Harry, though he didn't recognise him.

"What do you think you're doing in our house?'!" he bellowed.

As Harry turned to face him, Dudley's eyes widened and he allowed himself to smile. "You could have let us know you were going to stop in, Harry."

Harry pocketed his wand and smiled back. "I didn't get the time to," he then noticed Vanessa was still gawking at him in astonishment. "Oh, sorry. I'm Harry Potter, your husband's cousin."

She only nodded in response, before scampering back into the kitchen.

Harry then turned to Dudley with a sly grin on his face. "You think I scared her?" he casually asked, causing his cousin to chuckle quietly in reply.

* * *

Several shouts of "Expecto Patronum" were heard and silver streaks of light soon morphed into various animals before charging towards the flock of Dementors. Remus had been surprised that everyone in the group had been able to cast a fully fledged Patronus, but figured it was because the Dementors weren't close enough to affect them yet. He was relieved to see that his group hadn't been the only one to react to the surprise attack, but was quickly brought out of these thoughts when he reminded himself that he should be concentrating on the task at hand. 

The only other time Remus could remember so many Dementors in the one place was when Harry had shown him in his pensieve what had happened the night Sirius had escaped on Buckbeak. The reason that only one Patronus had been able to drive them off back then had been because the Dementors had been congregated in the one place; surrounding Harry and Sirius. In Pyren however, this wasn't the case as Dementors continued to stream through the streets, far outnumbering the witches and wizards that had stayed to fight, forcing them back.

Remus, with all his senses on full alert, spotted a small girl. She couldn't have been any more than seven years old, and she was shaking a fallen figure next to her, oblivious to the Dementor that was gliding towards her. Without any hesitation, Remus vanished with a crack, only to appear in the Dementor's path a second later.

Being as close as he was to the foul beast, he could hear his own voice in his mind, pleading for the pain of his transformation to stop. He could hear his brothers screams the night they were attacked and Remus was bitten. And lastly, he could still hear Bellatrix's laughter echoing throughout his head as Sirius fell beyond the veil.

Remus tightened his grip on his wand as he concentrated on his wedding day, remembering how perfect it was. He then lifted his head and stared at the Dementor, who was now only ten feet away and closing and he smiled.

Remus then raised his wand and bellowed "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The silver wolf burst from the tip, and chased the Dementor from where they were. After it had gone he turned to the girl who was staring at him with wide eyes and her mouth open in shock.

"Tout va bien?" _(Are you alright?)_ he gently asked.

The girl meekly nodded before whispering "Qu'est-ce...Qu'était cette...cette chose?" _(What…what was that…that thing?)_

"Un détraqueur," Remus replied. "Pourquoi est-ce que tu n'es pas partie avec tes parents plus tôt?" _(A Dementor. Why didn't you leave earlier with your parents?)_

The girl turned away from him, and Remus wondered if maybe the girl didn't have any parents, in which case he had been rather rude to her. It was only when the girl faced him again, that Remus noticed tears streaming down her face and she told him what had happened. That her father, who was the slumped person she had been shaking earlier, had told her to run into a nearby shop, which she did. The girl, who gave her name as Émilie, then told Remus how she watched through a window as her father tried to produce a Patronus, but only succeeded in getting kissed.

The Dementor then left, while she ran outside to try to wake her father. To her credit, she listened in silence as Remus explained what the Dementor had done. He was taken aback when the girl started crying and he did his best to comfort her, before telling Émilie that she would be safer to stay in the shop until the fight was finished, which she reluctantly did, but not before giving Remus a hug, causing him to blush slightly. Remus watched as she went back into the shop, before heading back to help the others. Therefore no one saw the black cloaked figure glide into the shop or heard Émilie's screams as the Dementor lifted her to its face.

* * *

Dudley was talking to Harry, telling him how excited Brendan had been when he received his letter, when Harry suddenly stood up. 

"Harry, what's…"

"Shh," he cut in, before switching all the lights off. Harry then made his way over to the window and peered outside. He could feel a dark presence that had just appeared, one that he didn't recognise.

"Vampires?" Dudley quietly asked, making his way behind Harry.

"I'm not sure, but I'll soon find out."

He then withdrew his wand and edged his way towards the door, before Dudley grabbed his arm and twisted him around.

"What are you doing?'!" he hissed at Harry who gave him a mischievous grin in return.

"What I do best," he replied as he slipped outside and into the night.

* * *

"Ils sont beaucoup trop nombreux!" _(There's too many of them!)_

Everyone murmured their agreement as the Dementors kept coming at them. Several had already fallen victim to their worst memories, while the others could only watch in horror as they had been kissed.

The groups had merged into one and had retreated from Pyren, leaving Remus to wonder the true extent of the damage in the village, but the Dementors were forcing them back towards the school. Their continual usage of the Patronus charm was taking its toll on the casters from the amount of energy required to cast it. Indeed, there were now only six people between Beauxbatons and the Dementors, and, of the six, only Remus appeared to be relatively fresh, though he too was tiring.

'There has to be a way to stop this. I wish Harry was here, he'd be able to use the Reducio charm to…wait a minute, that's it! I was with him and Filius when we created it.' Remus looked over as another witch fell from exhaustion and decided that it was now or never. He closed his eyes and focussed on his hatred of himself for missing out on Tobius' life. He then concentrated on what the war with Voldemort had cost him; his four best friends.

Remus wasn't aware that the remaining fighters had stopped casting and were looking at him in amazement because of the white glow now enveloping his body. The Dementors, not being able to see the glow, but noticing a distinct change in Remus' emotions, had also stopped, wondering what was about to happen. The colour of the glow changed to light yellow as Remus' hatred grew, letting out a low growl in the process.

His eyes then snapped open as he raised his wand one last time, giving the Dementors a smirk.

'I hope this works,' he thought before crying out "EXPECTO REDUCIUM!"

Remus then felt his smile grow wider as a burst of crimson light shot from his wand, which soon took the form of his wolf which tore towards the pack of Dementors. Remus was the only one who knew what the charm did, but even he watched in amazement as his wolf mowed down Dementor after Dementor, their eerie howls echoing through the air before the rest of the Dementors decided to retreat.

Remus then started on reviving those who had passed out, unaware of the awed looks the rest were giving him.

* * *

Harry watched as the person made its way into the closest house. He soon heard a scream, before the door shot open and a young woman came running outside, chased rapidly by the man. 

"Oh no, you aren't getting away from me this time!" he threatened, and Harry saw the man's incisors lengthen indicating that he was indeed a vampire.

"Let her go," Harry demanded, but not before the vampire had grabbed the woman around her throat, holding her hostage.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? Someone trying to make a name for themselves, perhaps?"

Harry elected to not say anything, intent on glaring at the figure standing before him.

"Not very talkative I see. Tell me, what's a muggle doing out at this time of night?"

"I can assure you, I'm no muggle," he answered, drawing his wand in his left hand.

"Ah, a foolish wizard, even better," the vampire replied, releasing his 'catch' and drawing his own wand.

"Whoever said that I was a wizard?"

"For starters, you have a wand…unless you're suggesting you are a squib, in which case I should be easily able to crush you."

Harry allowed himself to smile, thinking how many times he'd heard people say that to him in the past. He noticed that the woman was slowly retreating back to her house, watching the scene in front of her in shock.

"I do believe you'll find me a quite worthy opponent. Majoro Statisio!" Harry shouted, raising his right hand.

"Protego!" he replied, only to find that Harry's spell tore straight through his shield, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Harry then turned to the woman, who was staring at him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

'Hmm, that sounds familiar,' Harry thought before he spoke again. "Did you understand anything he was saying?"

She nodded. "I know that he's a vampire, and you both are wizards."

"Good, then I won't need to memory charm you. Excuse me for a moment."

Harry then calmly walked up to his enemy, before casually scratching his nose with his wand.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret. You're going to find out anyway, so why not find out from me," he then whispered into the ear of his foe, "Tell your _master_ that Harry Potter has returned."

Harry then watched the eyes of the vampire widen even more before stepping back and pointing his wand at his chest.

"You're going to leave this place as soon as that spell wears off. If you don't, I won't hesitate to use this."

A few minutes passed before the vampire was able to move. When he could, he quickly apparated away, leaving Harry free to talk to the woman. She was standing on the porch of her house, and appeared to be in her mid to late twenties. From the light, it looked as though she had amber eyes, and long black hair, with a tinge of red (though Harry thought this might have been just from the porch light) that stretched to just below her waist.

The woman caught him staring at her and scowled. "Don't get any ideas."

"Did he hurt you?" he asked, ignoring her last remark.

"Not this time," she admitted.

"He's done this before?"

"Yeah, he has," she nonchalantly replied.

"Perhaps you should come with me then. Are you a witch?"

The woman shook her head and replied, "Muggle actually. But my Uncle was a squib, that's how I know about your world."

"Then you won't be able to come to Hogwarts since you won't be able to see it."

"Oh, I can see it, thanks to _him_."

"How? You said you were a muggle," Harry asked. He knew from Hermione that muggles just saw an old dilapidated building instead of the majestic castle.

"He turned me."

"Turned…you? I don't understand."

She rolled her eyes, frustrated by Harry's lack of understanding. "Meaning I'm a vampire now," she said, slowly increasing the length of her incisors before adding, "And since you saved my life, I am bound to you forever."

Harry's mouth fell open in shock.

"It is the way of vampires. The females are bound to the one who frees them," she explained, noticing that Harry was still stunned.

"My name's Bianca, what's yours?" she inquired.

To Harry's credit, he managed to croak out, "H…Harry, Harry Potter."

It was Bianca's turn to be shocked, but, unlike Harry, she chose to faint instead. Harry sighed and revived Bianca, who blinked open her eyes, before narrowing them when she saw Harry watching her in amusement.

"Don't get any ideas, Potter, I'm a vampire," she warned.

"Yeah, you said that earlier. Well, I've never had someone bound to me before either, so I guess we're even," he replied.

"I could've handled him myself, you know," she answered after a short silence.

"I'm sure you could, but you should know that I have a hero complex," he said with a small smile.

She glared at him before asking, "So what happens now?"

Harry shook his head. "No idea. I guess I should go back to Hogwarts though."

"If you want, you can stay the night."

Harry smirked. "I thought you said you were..."

"I am," Bianca cut in, glaring at him again, "Which _means_ that you'll regret it if you try anything," she threatened.

Harry chuckled. "All right then, I'll stay the night if you come back to Hogwarts tomorrow with me."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "That's nearly blackmail, but since we're bound, it would seem I have little choice in the matter."

As Bianca made her way back inside, she turned and faced Harry. "Well? Are you coming inside or do you need an engraved invitation?"


	15. Chapter 15 – A Couple Of Tricks

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

An explanation; why did I do that to Émilie? The main reason is that I want this story to be a bit darker than my others. Despite my intentions, both BotE and Definitive never really did that, something I hope to rectify with this one.

* * *

**Chapter 15 – A Couple Of Tricks**

"SHE'S A _WHAT_?!"

Harry and Bianca had arrived at Hogwarts without any further drama, and Remus had called an emergency Order meeting to detail what had taken place at Pyren. Needless to say, everyone had been stunned, and Harry's report didn't help with snapping them out of it.

"Settle down, Ron. Besides, as Harry said, she is bound to him for life now," Remus answered, still looking at Harry with a look that suggested he was not impressed with what happened.

Remus then realised that he was being quite hypercritical considering he had been involved in a far bigger battle around the same time, so he sighed to himself. Remus knew that Harry wasn't the student he first taught at Hogwarts in his third year, and that he was more than capable of making his own decisions.

"But Harry, they're the enemy!"

"You thought me and Remus were initially too, Tonks," Harry coolly replied, shutting the metamorphmagus up quite effectively.

"Perhaps she did, but vampires are not known to be trustworthy," Kingsley argued.

"Neither are werewolves," Remus casually reminded him, and Kingsley had the grace to acknowledge that had not come out quite like he wanted it to.

"I will say one thing about you, Harry," Tobius said, a sly smile on his face as he did so. "You certainly picked a good looking one."

Harry put his head in his hands and muttered "wrong move, Tobius," before Bianca launched herself across the table and hit Tobius with all her might.

"GAH! I take it back!" he said rubbing his jaw. This comment made Bianca even angrier, as she thought Tobius meant that she _wasn't_ good looking, so she smacked him again.

Those gathered were too shocked to do anything to help him, and Harry leaned over to Remus who had an amused look on his face.

"You seem to do enjoying this," he whispered.

Remus nodded, "He should've realised that you never say that to any woman."

"Well, he did grow up with Ron," Harry replied, while Ron, who was sitting on the other side of him, gave Harry a light punch on the arm.

"Oi, I heard that!" he said with a grin. He then put on a more serious face as he asked exactly how much help Bianca might be considering she was a muggle. Harry smiled at him and caught Bianca's eye who merely sighed but nodded. The two of them stood up, beckoning for everyone to follow them.

They came to a stop on the Quidditch pitch, where Harry told the rest of them to wait at one end while he conjured a small tree at the centre of the pitch.

"What's this all about? We were using this!" Draco demanded as he had been supervising the Slytherins team practice.

"Ron wanted to know how she," Harry pointed at Bianca, who glared at not being addressed, "would be able to help, so I'm about to show him."

Draco was about to ask who Bianca was, but Harry got in first. "It's a long story, and besides, you're just the person I was looking for."

That peaked the blond's interest and he raised an eyebrow, waiting for Harry to continue.

"What's the fastest spell you know? Which one will hit that tree I conjured the quickest?"

Draco thought for a moment before replying "the Killing curse is the fastest I think."

"Yeah, so can you cast it when I tell you to?"

"I guess, but why can't you do it?"

"Can't use that spell, remember?" Harry answered with a smile. He hadn't even attempted to cast that spell since his final battle with Voldemort until earlier this morning when he saw Bianca training. She had told him that she was trained in Ninjitsu, and had even attended some tournaments in Japan. Like the last time he tried to cast the Killing curse, it didn't work, which is why he wanted to see if his experiment worked with this curse like it had with the others Harry had cast.

While Harry and Draco were talking, Bianca had withdrawn a set of twin daggers and was twirling them idly in her hands, while Ron was watching her warily, wondering exactly what she was going to do with them.

"Alright, Bianca's ready, so fire away, Draco," Harry said, bringing Ron back to reality.

Draco nodded, aimed his wand at the tree and said "Avada Kedavra!"

The green light shot from his wand, arching towards its destination with startling precision. Draco and everyone else, with the exception of Bianca and Harry, were stunned when Bianca's daggers whooshed through the air, thudding into the tree a full three seconds before Draco's spell.

Harry just turned to the still shocked group and casually asked, "Does that answer your question, Ron?"

* * *

Harry was sitting up at his desk, looking over the letter from Mike that had arrived while he was at Durmstrang. The earliest time Mike could meet with him was this coming Monday. He had promised Remus and the twins the first flight in his vehicle, which also meant that Angelina and Katie would be coming along for the ride also. Bianca was also coming, though she wasn't too impressed since the only reason she was going, was because of the bond.

_Mr H. J. Potter_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Scotland_

_Re: Account inquiries_

_Now that all the business stuff is out of the way, let me tell you that you sure know how to give a bloke a heart attack, Harry! When that phoenix turned up with a letter, I just assumed it was from the Headmistress, and I let out a few rather colourful phrases when I read the letter (as everyone in the bank can attest to since I forgot to reapply the silencing charms around my office that day…hey, stop your laughing!)._

_I initially thought it was a hoax, until you, or someone you authorised, made a transaction afterwards. Thirty years huh, well, I guess you've heard, but you lot are smack bang in the middle of another war. Now isn't that a nice way to start this letter! Seriously though, this has been worse than Voldemort's battles because he wasn't prejudiced against all wizards and witches, just those he deemed…unworthy._

_But enough of that, I'm pretty sure you've been filled in with what's gone on, and merely want to know when you can meet with me to reopen your account. I'm quite busy until mid-October, so the earliest I can book you in for will be the 12th (I'll leave all day open in case things take longer for some reason). I see you're worried about our wards, so I've gone to the trouble of getting clearance for you and whoever else you decide to bring along with you. Have to warn you though, the permit only covers a total of eight people, so please don't bring any more than that._

_Oh, I'm not sure exactly how much Trent told you about the last war, but the wards and clearances are pretty much the same as then. Both Australia and New Zealand have been cut off with the wards, and you'll have to go to the head customs office in Wellington (that's in New Zealand, by the way…thought I'd better say that so you won't end up breaching the wards and being chucked out) before being allowed to proceed._

_Now, as an Australian, this is hard for me to admit (blame it on sporting rivalries!), but you should probably take a few days to have a look around New Zealand, the scenery is absolutely stunning…once you get out of the main towns a bit of course (my Mum always used to say 'if you've seen one big city, you've seen them all'). Whether you do this before our meeting or not is entirely up to you since the permit was valid from the date I sent it off. Having said that, the instant you leave (again, you'll be required to do this from Wellington) you cannot use the permit again…as you'll find out when it disintegrates._

_If you have any questions about the security, I've sent a pamphlet which explains it far better than I have. And if you have any questions about your account, write them down and we'll go over them when you arrive._

_Safe travels,_

_Mike Knight_

_CEO of the National Wizarding Bank of Australia and New Zealand_

Harry had gone over the pamphlet, though Mike had given him the main details, and the additional information was just where the customs office was, though the way the wards were setup, it was the only place you could apparate into without having Aurors crawling all over you. The permit served one sole purpose; access. It acted as a secret keeper. Without it, you wouldn't be able to find, let alone enter, either country, while it also dissolved that knowledge after you had exited the wards. Harry felt it worked nearly exactly the same way as the Spirit Room, and wondered if that's where they got the idea from.

He had discussed with the group about Mike's idea about having a look around, and Hermione had agreed to give them a full two weeks to have a look around, but warned them not to draw too much attention to themselves. This was mainly directed at the twins, who were doing their best to look innocent, but Harry could easily see the twinkle in their eyes and knew that they wanted to have as much fun as possible.

Harry had decided to err on the side of caution and chose to use the 'default vehicle' for the Enigma, which was a standard car that would hopefully not look too out of place (well, as much as a thirty year old car can). Once that had been decided, those going with him then talked about when to leave, and had chosen to start their journey on the Friday, giving them enough time to reach their destination.

* * *

The Enigma was currently flying over the Mediterranean, with those inside it marvelling at the sight.

"It's similar to a private jet," Remus mused.

"How would you know that? Have you even been in a private jet?" Fred asked, and Remus was forced to concede that he hadn't flown in one before.

George was sitting next to Harry (having been the first to call 'shotgun', something Fred had been quite peeved at), who had switched over the controls to the autopilot, and both were poring over maps, trying to figure out the fastest way to get to Wellington.

"It's simple, Harry. Just go straight there."

"But we won't get the air currents then. I'm telling you, my way will get us there at least six hours earlier."

"Perhaps so," Remus cut in from behind them, "but we aren't really in any hurry, are we? You said earlier that this thing only has a cruising speed of two hundred miles an hour, which is far slower than a muggle aircraft. In fact, at that pace, it will take us about two full days to get there."

Harry smirked, though Remus couldn't see it. "Oh really? Watch this, Remus."

With that, Harry pressed a button on the dashboard, and a previously hidden compartment slid out from the roof above Harry, who opened the latch, and Remus could make out a small red switch.

"Er, what is that thing, Harry?" George asked.

"Something that will give this a bit more…kick," was the reply.

"You didn't install Nitrous Oxide did you?"

"No Bianca, I didn't. That stuff only gives you a boost for a short while, whereas this keeps our speed for much longer."

"What does it do though?" Katie enquired.

"What happens when you run?"

"You get tired," Fred said with a grin.

"Apart from that," Harry answered with a small smile. "It has to do with what powers this thing."

"Your heart rate increases," Remus said, understanding what Harry was implying.

"Exactly. This makes Norbert's heart rate increase, and makes us go faster."

"How _much_ faster are we talking about?" Bianca asked, narrowing her eyes at Harry.

"Oh, we should be able to hit mach three or so I'd say. I haven't actually tried it for a long period yet."

"Mach three? You have to be kidding me!" Remus said, nearly choking as Harry shook his head.

"What's mach three mean?" Angelina asked, getting a few shrugs in reply.

"It means that we'll be going at three times the speed of sound," Bianca explained, as shocked as Remus was.

"Which is what exactly? How fast does sound travel?"

"About seven hundred miles an hour," Harry replied. "So mach three means we'll be going near enough to two _thousand_ miles an hour."

"Now _that_ is moving!" Fred exclaimed, while everyone else just sat in stunned silence.

"It is. We'll have around two minutes to deal with the acceleration, but after that, we should be able to move around quite easily. In other words, buckle up!" was Harry's reply.

As soon as everyone had done so, Harry flicked the switch, and the car shot forward like nothing Harry had ever felt before…including the very first time he had ridden his Firebolt.


	16. Chapter 16 – Taking Care Of Business

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Alrighty, so as I did in BotE, they're going south…again, lol :D

Sorry about not updating last week, but I kind of figured that most people wouldn't be home considering it was school hols and all.

* * *

**Chapter 16 – Taking Care Of Business**

The trip had taken them less than a day, and they had arrived in Wellington with plenty of time to spare. Initially, they were intending on looking around New Zealand after the meeting with Mike, but decided to spend their free day taking in a few of the sights.

Unfortunately for Fred and George, they had made the mistake of listening to the Marauder's portrait and were wearing full-on ski apparel, clearly anticipating cold weather. They were a bit miffed at why the others weren't dressed as warmly, but laughed whenever any of them tried to explain the fact that the seasons are the other way round in the Southern Hemisphere. Upon their arrival, they quickly realised their mistake and transfigured their clothes into ones more appropriate for the warmish weather, both scowling and mentioning revenge on said portrait, leaving a former werewolf somewhat wary and cautious.

It was due to this, that he had overheard some people talking. He had then immediately demanded that they go see the Cadbury's chocolate factory, and promptly glared at Bianca when she muttered something under her breath.

"What was _that_?" Remus growled.

"I said that I don't want to go," she replied, refusing to look at Remus, instead focussing on buffing her nails on her shirt.

"And the bit afterwards…" Remus enquired in a dangerously low voice.

"Oh, you mean the bit about lycans being more interested in their stomachs than their surroundings?" she casually asked, finally looking up and smiling at Remus.

Harry and the rest found it rather amusing when the two of them became involved in a rather heated glaring contest, which was ended when Fred winked at his twin and shouted "LOOK OUT!"

Bianca and Remus both hit the deck before quickly getting into fighting positions, until they heard everyone else laughing at them. They both then directed their glares to the twins, who quickly sobered up when Harry politely reminded them that taking on a vampire and a former werewolf (not to mention the last Marauder) might not be their cleverest idea.

Fred, George, Angelina and Katie all remarked how different the lifestyle was, when half a world away a fierce battle for survival was going on. Remus told them that the situation appeared somewhat similar to Trent's stories of the first rise of Voldemort, even if this time around, the war had not affected this part of the world.

* * *

Just as their three hour meeting was about to conclude, Harry spotted a picture hanging on the wall to the right of where Mike was sitting. It was an ordinary muggle picture, but not one you'd expect to see in a bank. It was a picture of what appeared to be a car, but it was unlike any car Harry had seen, even in this time. 

"What's that there, Mike?"

Mike turned to where Harry was pointing and smiled. "You have extraordinary taste, Mr Potter. That magnificent machine there is the Brabham Phantom. It's the only vehicle that has an apparition mode built in."

"Really? How did they do that?" George asked.

"That's the thing, hardly anyone knows. Those who do can't tell because they were all sworn under a secrecy charm not to divulge any secrets about it. You are looking at the most sophisticated muggle tri-vehicle known."

"Tri-vehicle?" Remus questioned.

"It can drive like a normal car, a boat, or you can fly it," Mike explained, "Of course, there are other vehicles around that can do the same things, but none have the apparition mode."

"How many were made?"

"Exactly twenty-two. It can be charmed to change into different vehicles, just like its predecessor, the Enigma."

"It's based on the Enigma?"

"Yeah, of course. It was easier to do that than start from scratch."

"How much does one cost?"

Mike laughed. "Oh, that's a good one! They don't sell them to anyone because the military has them all. They use them for training flights, because it doesn't have any fire power. The defensive wards they added on can take up to thirty Reducto charms at the one time, or so I've heard."

"Harry, we aren't here to…"

"I know Remus, but that apparition mode sounds brilliant. It's a pity they don't sell them then, or I'd replace my Enigma with one."

"You have an Enigma?'!" Mike exclaimed.

"Yeah, why?" Harry asked, wondering why Mike looked so stunned.

"They were all recalled. A major flaw was found with the energy supply."

Remus looked at Harry before asking, "What was wrong with the Enigma's power source?"

"The original hydro system was found to have some sort of leak in it. They had to take them all back after one exploded, killing its occupants."

"And there are none left now?"

"No, they were destroying them all, until they got the idea of trialling the new additions for the Phantom. If you've got an Enigma, they might be able to modify it for you…it wouldn't be cheap though, I can guarantee you."

"Well, it can't hurt to ask, can it?" Harry said to Remus and the rest, with the twins both shrugging in reply.

"Indeed it can't, Mr Potter," Mike answered with a small smile. "If you'd all just wait outside while I make a few inquiries for you. Then I'll take you down to see your vault since it's near enough to my lunchbreak," he said before a smile crossed his face, "Plus, I haven't seen any of Trent's stuff in a _very_ long time."

Harry nodded, thanked Mike for his help and walked out of his office with the rest following behind him.

* * *

The vault was just how Harry last saw it, empty except for two trunks; one containing money, the other held knick-knacks from Trent as well as the Potter vault. 

"That's it?" Fred sadly remarked, his twin looking just as disappointed.

"It is rather empty, Harry. Are you sure this was all you have?"

Harry nodded at Remus' question. "Yeah, both those trunks are the multi-compartment type."

"How many?" Bianca asked. She, like the twins, was rather frustrated at coming all this way only to find a virtually empty vault.

"Five each, all rooms larger than the one we're standing in," Harry replied, not noticing the gaping mouths of everyone else, Mike included.

"There's no keyholes though," Remus said, breaking the silence as he inspected the trunks. "In fact, there's no openings at all on them."

"Added security charms," Mike answered as he also examined them. "Not only does it require fingerprints, but also a magical signature match for you to access them."

"How does it record your signature?" Katie asked.

"Simple," Harry said as he finished pressing his thumb to both trunks. He then withdrew his wand and pointed it at one of the trunks. "Stupefy!"

The spell struck the trunk and the front flickered before revealing five round holes. Harry could have used any spell for the recognition phase, but he figured there wasn't really any fun in using 'Alohomora'. Harry then carefully inserted the wand into the first hole and a soft click was heard as the top of the trunk opened. The way the trunk was crafted meant that only Harry, or those he had keyed in, would be able to unlock the trunks. The wand was needed to act as the key, as Harry had used it for his signature to be recorded.

Harry gestured for the others to have a look inside, and was rewarded when Fred, George, Katie and Angelina all gasped at the sight of a room piled with gleaming galleons, sickles and knuts. Harry then showed them the rest of the compartments, which were nearly identical to the first, before moving on to the next trunk.

The first three rooms contained several bookcases, all full on virtually any subject; Potions, Transfiguration, Ancient Runes, Magical Creatures, you name it, it had it. The fourth compartment held all of the portraits and pictures Harry was the owner of. The fifth housed weapons and the like, mainly from Trent.

Harry took them into this compartment, since Mike wanted to see the kind of things Trent deemed 'worthy' enough to put into his vault (as payback for him trying to lock Trent in his own trunk, Trent had refused to give vault access to his friend. Mike thought this was a bit harsh considering the fact that he was the manager of the bank). All varieties of weapons were on display; daggers, battleaxes, swords, and there was even a large club that could only have come from a troll as well as a scythe a little similar to the one Macnair was to use on Buckbeak in Harry's third year.

But none of these caught Mike's eye. That honour went to an old, somewhat ragged, light grey robe that was hanging by itself at the back of the room.

"Well I'll be buggered," he whispered, "I never, _ever_, thought I'd see one of these again."

Harry wondered what the fuss was about, and nearly said that he always wondered why Trent kept such an old thing like that. He knew it wasn't Trent's school robe since there weren't any crests on it at all, and it looked far too shabby to have ever been a dress robe. However, Mike's next comment effectively put to rest his questions.

"It's a battle robe, or rather, a duelling robe actually. Trent got this for winning that last competition held in 1968. I never imagined it would be in such good condition."

"It's not dragon skin," George remarked.

"Quite right," Mike nodded, gently stroking the robe, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. "This is worth a hell of a lot more than dragonhide. Not quite as resilient in battles, but I'd still take one of these over a Horntail vest any day."

"What animal is it made out of then?" Bianca asked.

"It's a combination," Mike corrected her, "Part acromantula, part troll, and part Dementor."

"Dementor?" Angelina and Katie questioned at the same time.

"Mmhmm, skins from three of the most feared creatures of the time. Only the winners of the duelling tournaments held every ten years from 1908 to 1968 got rewarded with one of these. See, dragon skin became popular at the start of Grindelward's reign, replacing these robes."

"So Trent was great at duelling then?"

"He was better than that, Harry. In fact," Mike continued, "he remains to this day, one of only two people to have beaten Albus Dumbledore in an official competition."

"Who was the other?" Remus asked.

"A vampire by the name of Brard Darkspawn in the 1928 tournament."

Harry was the only one who noticed that Bianca's eyes widened ever so slightly at the name, but he thought better of it and decided to ask her about it later.

"Why haven't there been any more tournaments since then?"

"Voldemort," was Mike's reply to Fred's question.

"But why would anyone pick this over a vest?" Katie asked, more interested in the robe than a duelling history.

"You can't repair these," Mike bluntly said. "Once they get damaged, you have to chuck it out," he then gave a laugh, "Merlin, you'd nearly be better off going to the fight without wearing _anything_ than using a damaged one!"

"Well that's rather pointless then," Fred chuckled, and Harry privately agreed with him.

Mike then glared at him, watching as Fred's laughter died on his lips. "Perhaps I should have added that what you're looking at is, quite possibly, the last robe on the planet that can withstand the Cruciatus curse."

Everyone's eyes widened, with only Remus' in recognition.

"Mundungus tracked down one of those when the Order reformed after Voldemort's rebirth," he whispered. "Said that despite the robe having a tear on the sleeve, rendering it useless, the guy still wanted over twenty thousand galleons for it."

Fred and George both let out a whistle, while Bianca, Harry, Katie and Angelina all stood there with their mouths open in shock.

Mike nodded, "Must have been a decent rip, I'd have expected it to fetch a far higher price than that. I can only imagine how much this sucker would be worth."

The group then departed the room in an awed silence, broken only when Mike told Harry (not that he needed reminding) to take _very_ good care of the robe.

* * *

Harry and the others had spent the rest of the week going to as many tourist spots as they could; from Brisbane to Broome in Australia, and Auckland to Alexandra in New Zealand. They were currently back in Sydney, making their way to pick up Harry's transformed Enigma. 

The people Mike had tracked down for Harry used an old warehouse for their base of operations. It had several charms on it to prevent people seeing things they weren't supposed to see. Harry still smiled whenever he recalled the shocked faces of everyone when they lifted the hood of his car.

_-flashback-_

"Is that…"

"No, it can't be!"

They all then turned to Harry awaiting the explanation.

"Customs ripped the old power supply out," Fred answered for him.

"So you decided to use this?"

"Any better ideas?" Harry casually replied.

"Besides, _we_ got told you wouldn't ask any questions," Bianca added, glaring and crossing her arms in annoyance.

"Quite correct. Sorry Mr Potter, but we weren't expecting something like this. We'll get right on it for you."

Harry nodded. "Much appreciated. Any idea when we can pick it up?"

"Well, since you want to keep your additional vehicles, I can't see us having it ready before the weekend."

_-end flashback-_

They arrived outside the warehouse and were surprised to see that Sebastian Hall, who appeared to be the main person in charge, was waiting for them by the main entrance.

"Good, you're all here. Enjoy the sights I hope?"

"Yes, it was a pleasant change of pace," Remus answered for all of them.

Sebastian nodded before ushering them inside. Apart from a covered lump, which Harry guessed was the Phantom, there was nothing else in sight. Sebastian informed them that the remaining members of the group were all out running errands, and that he had put the finishing touches on the Phantom personally.

He pulled out his wand, and with a flick the sheet fell away, revealing the fully altered machine. It looked nothing like what Mike's picture had shown, but that was because Harry had insisted on keeping the programmed vehicle shapes. Naturally, this ended up costing more than just the transformation, but Harry hoped it was worth it. All up, it had set Harry back just over three hundred thousand galleons, which, compared to the original development cost of six hundred thousand, Sebastian said it was a bargain.

"So it's ready to go then?" Harry asked.

"It most certainly is, mate. I trust you've read the owner's guide about how to use the apparition mode?"

Harry nodded, as that had been the first thing he did the night they dropped the car off. It worked similar to Harry's watch, in that you could program in destinations, and also had to wait while the coordinates were locked in before engaging it. However, unlike the watch, you could also do an 'instant apparition'. The manual said that this mode was to be used only in emergencies, as you ran the risk of not knowing where you'd end up.

The manual also explained that the Phantom did not have the invisibility charms like the Enigma did, because it had been proven to be unstable throughout the apparition tests. Instead, the makers had gone for a disillusionment function that worked almost as well.

Everyone piled their bags into the car while Harry finalised the payment details, culminating in him signing a forty-page disclaimer that basically said that he wouldn't do anything stupid with his new purchase. The Phantom fired up with no problems (Harry had been concerned that using Norbert's heart might prove difficult), and they were on their way after a final goodbye and thanks to Sebastian, who, of course, had managed to wheedle a signed chocolate frog card of Harremus in exchange for a discount.

After making sure to engage the silencing and disillusionment functions, Harry decided to test out the apparition mode and punched in Wellington. After around three minutes where the coordinates were triple-checked and the topographical information about their landing site had been taken into account, a buzz was heard, indicating that all was set for the trip. Harry pressed the 'ASM' (apparition simulation mode) button and the Phantom gave a small shudder as the scenery outside changed from sunny to heavy rain, with another buzz declaring that everything went as expected.

After clearing customs, Harry urged the machine into the air, where, from the inside at least since the charms were still on, everyone could see wings sprouting from beneath, and the front elongating into a more aerodynamic shape.

"All right then, let's put this thing to the test shall we?" Harry asked no one in particular.

A few minutes later, the Phantom and everyone inside blinked out of existence from the Southern Hemisphere with the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch their destination.


	17. Chapter 17 – Broken Promises

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Oh yes, I fully intend to make use of the cloak and that rather snazzy 'instant' mode later on ;)

* * *

**Chapter 17 – Broken Promises**

It wasn't until two weeks after they had come back when Harry was finally able to talk to Bianca about her reaction at hearing Brard's name. She had spent the majority of that time in her own private quarters, and was only seen at mealtimes. He looked over at her and found she was sitting down scowling at him for picking up on that. After more than five minutes of silence, she finally sighed and spoke, "You can't just forget I did that, can you?"

"What do you think?" Harry answered, trying his best to look intimidating…and wishing he had paid more attention on how Snape used to do it.

"I was just surprised, that's all."

"Uh huh. That sounds like something _I'd_ say, so I know there's more to it than that," Harry replied, not believing any of it.

Bianca glared at him, before reluctantly relenting. "All right, fine, you win. Brard is their leader in this war."

Harry's mouth opened slightly, but she wasn't done yet. "I heard about him from Halele, that's the vampire who you saw that night," she said at Harry's blank look. "Anyway, the time before that, Halele told me about the war. He said how it was Brard who had basically forced everyone into the war. He even went so far as to kill the vampire elders who disagreed with him, thus ensuring that he'd be the leader."

Bianca stopped at this point, letting Harry digest this information. He looked up after a short while. "Why did he tell you this?"

She closed her eyes at this point. "He gave me a choice, said he'd come back later for my answer. He said that if I joined them, he'd make sure that no one would hurt me," Harry then saw that her hands clenched into fists, so whatever had happened next must not have been nice. "Halele then told me that it had been Brard who turned me in the first place, and had murdered my parents. I was a bit stunned at that point, as you can probably guess, something Halele noticed straight away so he took advantage of it."

Bianca unconsciously had tightened her legs together, so Harry didn't have to try very hard to guess the underlying meaning of 'took advantage of'. Harry realised then that this might be the main reason why Bianca didn't trust anyone, preferring to do everything by herself.

He found himself moving over to stand behind her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Not all wizards are like that, Bianca. If you want, I can tell the others that you're sick and can't attend tonight's Order meeting."

Bianca gave Harry a small nod. She initially flinched slightly at Harry's touch, and nearly had to restrain herself from throwing his hand off her. She heard the door close with a soft 'click', before retreating to the bed and throwing herself on it. Never before had she told anyone what had happened, and though she knew Harry wouldn't think any less of her, she knew he'd tell the Order everything he had gotten from her.

She couldn't have been any more wrong, for if there was one thing that Harry knew, it was what information he wouldn't want anyone to know. He knew that Bianca would tell the others in her own time, and it certainly wasn't his place to do that for her.

* * *

The main topic that had been discussed was how to best distribute the dragon skin vests that Harry and the others had bought during their stay Down Under. Everyone in the Order had been accounted for, and Harry had even managed to get his hands on several 'autosize' vests as backups. While these weren't as good as the proper fitted ones, they were more than adequate to use as replacements or for any new members until such a time they could get a dragon skin vest to call their own. 

As the meeting came to a close, Donovan Mallise came bursting into the room. It had been his turn tonight to check the alarms the Order had set up around towns of known locations of the homes of the students. Judging by the flustered look on his face, he wasn't bringing good news.

"The alarm in Surrey just went off! Vampires and Dementors are there!"

"Petunia and Vernon still live there," Harry remarked, remembering what Dudley had told him when he had visited.

"So does my Dad!" Donovan added, which made his entrance more understandable.

Harry then shared a look with Remus while everyone else groaned. Harry then closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to sense how many were attacking.

"Fifteen vampires, not sure how many Dementors," he concluded.

"What do you think, Harry? Five each?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, I reckon that should be enough," Harry replied, before vanishing in a flash of orange light, returning moments later with his trunk.

He flung it open and pulled out two belts, two swords and his invisibility cloak. He gave a belt and sword to Remus, while putting the other on himself.

They both then pointed their wands at themselves before casting the duplication charm. Soon, the room contained five Harrys and five Remus', each armed with wands and swords, while the Harrys had their own invisibility cloaks. One of the Harrys quickly addressed the group.

"Don't worry, we'll be back soon."

The Remus' then each grabbed a Harry, and five flashes of orange later, they were all gone.

The rest of the Order sat in stunned silence, until Draco broke it. "Well, you can't say that he messes around, can you?" he mused, a smile playing on his face.

* * *

The group of Harrys and Remus' arrived in Surrey with a faint 'pop' and they assessed the situation. They decided to set up anti-apparition wards, so the invisibility cloaks changed hands to the Remus' who did that task. 

They all returned from this task and discussed strategies.

"What do you think?" the 'real' Remus whispered.

"Well, I reckon surprise is possibly our best bet right now. Bianca's told me how vampires have fantastic reflexes, even better than werewolves."

"That's true, but they don't have our sense of smell, so hopefully we _can_ catch them by surprise."

"Any idea what address Donovans' house is?" Harry asked.

Remus then used his telepathy to contact Hermione.

"Number eighteen," was the reply.

Harry nodded, and they swiftly, but stealthily, moved into the street to wait for the vampires to appear. They didn't have long to wait, and no sooner had they passed by, the Harrys and Remus' attacked. In little over a minute, all the vampires had been knocked unconscious or stunned, and were lying in the street.

The duplication charm was countered, and soon there was only one Harry and one Remus standing over the prone bodies of the vampires.

"Well, that went surprisingly well I'd say," Harry said with a smile on his face.

"Indeed, it seemed they weren't expecting anything. Perhaps we should now check on…"

Remus was interrupted as he felt an all too familiar chill surround him. Harry also noticed this and he quickly threw up his Occlumency shields before turning to see where the Dementors were. He found five of them gliding around the corner, so he took off after them, leaving Remus with the downed vampires.

The creatures must have sensed Harry because they all soon stopped and started gliding towards him. Just as Harry was about to raise his wand to cast a Patronus, the coldness disappeared and a tentative, scratchy voice filled his mind, 'Master?'

Harry slowly allowed himself to relax as he realised that they must have recognised him. "I was your master, until you switched sides. What happened to the promise you made me? I recall you took an oath that said you'd follow _only_ me until I die?"

The Dementors all looked at each other, before one of them addressed Harry's accusation. 'Forgive us, master. We had not heard from you in many cycles, and thus assumed you had been defeated.'

Harry nodded, accepting their reasoning. "I have been…er, misplaced, but I'm back now."

'So we now know. What do you request of us, master?'

Harry was about to tell them to gather at Hogwarts, taking away a big part of the vampires forces. But another idea soon formed in his mind.

"I want four of you to go back to wherever you're staying. The other can come back with us to Hogwarts. You are able to communicate with each other over long distances right?"

'Yes master, we still contain that particular ability.'

"Good, we can spy on them this way. Actually, you might have just solved our little problem. We were wondering what to do with the vampires we caught, but I guess you might as well have a nice little feast on them."

Harry pointed to where the vampires were all bound together and being levitated by Remus, who was slowly making his way to where Harry was. He quickly told Remus what was going on, and a brief debate occurred over whether or not they should take one back to Hogwarts for interrogation. They both weighed up their options, before Harry eventually agreed with Remus' idea. The Dementor (who Harry named John, despite Remus' glares and protests) stayed with the two wizards while his colleagues vacated the street after their feasting was over.

"How are you going to explain the presence of a Dementor at Hogwarts, Harry?"

"Dunno yet, but I might have some fun with the Defence class," he replied, grinning broadly while Remus let out a soft chuckle in reply.

Then came the part neither of them liked; disposing the bodies. While Remus cast the Killing curse, Harry transfigured the bodies so no one would be able to find them, before checking on the wizarding families who lived in the area. Only the Dursleys and Donovan's father were on the list, and after a quick chat and a cup of tea, Remus (who was hanging on to the remaining vampire) and John then grabbed a hold of Harry, and after a bright flash of orange, the street was empty again.

They arrived back in their quarters and, after convincing John to wait until they returned and placing the unconscious vampire in one of the chairs, apparated back to the Room of Requirement where they found everyone still waiting for them.

"Well, how'd it go?" Draco asked.

"Pretty good, we managed to drive them away without giving our identities away," Remus replied, shooting Harry a quick glance telling him that he'd deal with the situation.

"What about the Dementors? Wouldn't they have been able to sense you?"

"They had left by the time we got there," Remus said, knowing that Harry wanted to surprise everyone and neatly sidestepping Hermione's query.

"We checked on everyone, and it appeared that hadn't chosen any houses to attack since they wasn't any damage at all," Harry added, playing along with Remus' idea.

"Well that's certainly a nice change then," Ron said, the relief of Harry's comment washing over everyone as they'd been used to trying to clean up the burning wrecks the vampires usually left after such a raid.

"Very well, I think that might be enough for tonight," Hermione said, and Remus brought the meeting to a close as everyone slowly filed out of the room.

Harry and Remus arrived back at their quarters, and after a brief talk with John, he agreed to stay in Harry's trunk for the time being. Once they had ensured that their prisoner couldn't escape (bound, silenced and gagged) they bid each other good night after yet another eventful Halloween night.


	18. Chapter 18 – A Lesson On Instinct And Fe

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Alright then, this chappie has Tobius struggling to come to terms with something his 'furry side' has decided for him, so he enlists Harry to help him. And don't worry about John stealing Bob's glory…Bob will always be my favourite 'new' character I introduced! _(grin)_

_Italics_ is (mainly) Tobius' inner wolf 'speaking' to him.

Um, I take it that by the lack of reviews that you guys are enjoying it so far…though it would be nice to occasionally hear that. After all, this fic isn't fully finished, and while I sort of know what I want to have happen in it, I don't have much in the way of side stories yet. If anyone has a stunning brainwave they think I could work into this fic, I'd be only too happy to hear from you _(grin)_

* * *

**Chapter 18 – A Lesson On Instinct And Fear**

Tobius was sitting at his desk, grading his sixth year assignments, when he was aware that his inner wolf was trying to get his attention again.

_What are you waiting for?_

He sighed, putting down his quill and shutting his eyes. 'We're not having _this_ talk again, can you please go away for a bit so I can finish these papers?'

_The only way you'll get me to leave is when you act on my advice…_

'Advice?' Tobius scoffed, 'You aren't giving me _advice_, you're demanding me to agree with your _choice_!'

_Because I know you better than you do._

'Hardly. You don't know me at all.'

Tobius then doubled over in pain as the wolf flared up inside him. _You insolent fool! How dare you question me in this matter!_

'Even if I did agree with you in this, I couldn't act on it anyway,' Tobius managed to snap back. He was rather relieved when the pain died down.

_Ah, you are still concerned about the…_

'It's not just that,' he interrupted.

_Then what else is it?_

'You wouldn't understand.'

Tobius let out a huff, knowing it was from the wolf. _You are forgetting who you're talking to. I have tried my best to assist you…_

'By choosing a mate for me, I know,' Tobius finished the thought. Ever since his training in the Spirit Room where he learnt to fully embrace his werewolf side, certain instincts had now become somewhat of a problem. He now had this constant battle raging inside him every night, and currently Tobius was holding his own. But he wasn't sure for how much longer. Frustrated, he got up and headed to the door.

_You're leaving?_

'Yes, I need to talk to someone before you drive me insane.'

_Excellent idea. You can claim your mate tonight…_

'I'm _not_ seeing my mate, I'm going to talk to Harry.'

Tobius could almost see the wolf spluttering. _B…but I…I didn't choose him for you._

'Which is _exactly_ why I'm going to him.'

_I would prefer it if you saw your mate. A very fine catch if I may say so myself._

Tobius sighed again, and shook his head. This was the only way he could think of to shut his wolf up. 'I need to talk to Harry because…because maybe he can help me find a way to approach your selection.'

That perked the wolf up a bit, and Tobius could almost see him smiling. _Ah, so you are no longer doubting my choice. You shall not be disappointed, trust me._

'Trust a werewolf? Perish the thought,' he dryly replied.

_Don't take that tone with me, pup,_ the wolf snarled. _You shall wonder why you didn't act earlier._

Tobius rolled his eyes and was about to head outside when the wolf spoke again. _You can't leave like that._

'There's nothing wrong with the robe I'm wearing!'

_Very well, if you insist._

Tobius knew the wolf was hiding something, particularly if the playful voice was anything to go by.

'Tell me why I shouldn't leave right now?'

_Mating instincts, _was his reply.

Tobius didn't fully understand what his wolfish side was talking about until he looked down at himself and blushed, before heading to the bathroom muttering things about crazy wolves and cold showers.

* * *

Harry was lying on his bed reading, trying to get his mind off the fact that the vampire he and Remus had caught couldn't provide them with any useful information. All they had found out, was the vampire's name (Vincenzo Weber), and that the hideout was under the modified Fidelius charm (like the schools were). Not even Draco was able to glean anything else from him, but he was rather pleased when Remus said he'd be able to add vampire skin to his potion ingredients. His musings were broken when he heard a knock at his door and Tobius' voice asking if he could speak with him.

"Something the matter?" he asked, sitting up as Tobius came in looking quite frazzled. He then proceeded to restlessly pace around the room.

"It's my wolf, he's driving me crazy!"

"Why don't you talk to Remus about it? I can safely say that the two of you know far more about werewolves than I do."

Tobius stopped and ran a hand through his hair before looking Harry in the eye. "I can't talk to Dad about this…hell, I don't really want to talk about it with _anyone_."

"Yet here you are," Harry replied with a smile, deciding to try to lighten the mood.

Tobius had moved to Harry's desk and was gripping the back of the chair so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. He closed his eyes and sighed before talking once again, "What do you know about werewolves choosing a mate?"

That certainly hadn't been what Harry was expecting to be asked, and he realised why Tobius didn't want to talk to Remus about this. He had read quite a bit about werewolves, mostly from Trent's notes, and one of the few theories that the majority of texts agreed on was that werewolves mate for life.

"Not a lot," Harry admitted.

_Pathetic human,_ the wolf thought, but Tobius ignored him. "Allow me to give you a crash course then," he answered, resuming his pacing. "It seems that the wolf likes to be the one in control with such matters. He has _kindly_ decided to categorise _all_ my friends into a list. Every time I think about anyone, my instincts go ballistic."

_Now you're just being plain rude. If I recall, I wasn't the one getting excited by the short spiky hair!_

"SHUT UP!"

Harry blinked before Tobius realised that he had actually said that out loud. "Er, sorry Harry, I didn't mean to say that. My wolf is getting a touch antsy, that's all."

_HEY!_

"Actually," Tobius continued as if his wolf hadn't interrupted at all, "He hasn't been this insistent before, though he agreed with the idea of talking to you first."

"Er, is there something I should know?" Harry warily asked, his gaze rapidly shifting between Tobius and the door.

Tobius however, continued pacing, ignoring Harry's puzzled look. "Stupid wolf," he muttered to himself. "Stupid, _stupid_ wolf!"

_I am not stupid, pup!_

"Do you know who it is then?" Harry tried getting Tobius to focus, "I...er…highly doubt it's Bianca," he added hastily, looking somewhat pale.

Tobius glared at the last comment, absent-mindlessly rubbing his cheek where Bianca had walloped him a few weeks ago. He then sighed and sank into the chair. "It's certainly _not_ her. But, yes, he has chosen…and I'm not exactly thrilled with who it's picked."

Harry gulped, wanting to ask who it was, but feared the answer. He also didn't want to push Tobius, thinking that this must be hard enough for him to talk about without having Harry interrupting.

"And no matter how much I reason with him that his selection is far too old for me, he doesn't seem to care about it."

Harry glowered. While he wasn't happy with the situation, he didn't think he was THAT old!

Tobius didn't notice and sighed again, before answering Harry's untold question. "It's Tonks."

Harry let out a relieved breath. "I thought...er...well...I mean...uh..."

Tobius stared at Harry. _Wait a minute. He thought we wanted him!_ The wolf suddenly informed him.

"Er...OH! No, no, Harry," Tobius' face was as red as Harry's and both could match the colour of Ron's hair. "Look, you're a nice guy I'm sure…and attractive too…"

_NO! WHY did you say that!_

"Er...er, oh, I don't know!" Tobius wailed aloud. He noticed Harry was looking sick. "I meant that," Tobius blundered on, "I heard it from the...from the girls. Yeah! In a staff meeting once. You know girls right?"

_Shut your hole before I put you in one!_ The wolf was now almost as embarrassed as Tobius.

"OH MUZZLE IT, TUFFY!" Tobius screamed at the same time Harry muttered, "Yeah,"

"Right!" Tobius sighed. "I'll...er, just be going...now! Goodnight!" With that, he fled, but ran smack into the closed door. "Ow…who shut that?" he asked while rubbing his nose.

"Er, you did when you came in," Harry replied.

"Oh right. _Please_ don't tell Tonks about this," Tobius said.

"What's Tonks got to do with anything?" In the confusion of everything, Harry had quite forgotten Tobius had mentioned her before.

"She's, er, the one he chose for me," Tobius answered, his face turning red again as Harry let out a relieved breath before starting to laugh.

"Hey, cut that out! This isn't funny, Harry!"

Harry tried to explain, but all Tobius could make out from his laughter was "thought" and "me."

Tobius was completely lost, and not amused that Harry found the whole situation funny. It wasn't for another ten minutes until Harry was able to calm down enough to tell Tobius that he thought the wolf had picked him. After that, they shared a few good laughs as they talked long into the night. Harry tried to reason with Tobius about how best to approach Tonks, while Tobius was adamant in proving to the wolf that it was wrong. Harry said that Tonks and Remus had comforted each other in the immediate aftermath of Sirius' untimely demise.

Remus had told Harry that Tonks had been there for him, just like Lily had been on several mornings after his transformations. She had been able to help him quite a lot since she had been working at St Mungo's, like providing him with Dreamless draft and pain relieving potions. She had even given Remus the occasional blood replenishing ones when he got a bit more violent during the times that Prongs and/or Padfoot weren't able to be with him, since Wormtail wasn't able to do a lot considering the contrast in sizes.

Tobius wanted Harry to see what Tonks thought about the situation without giving away anything (like the fact that Tobius thought the whole idea was stupid). Harry argued that Tobius knew Tonks better than he did, but eventually agreed that he'd at least talk to her about it.

So it was that on his way to his Defence lesson after lunch the next day that he bumped into Tonks. Harry had talked with Ron a few days ago, and had agreed to take the seventh year class as well as the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw third year class today.

"I hear you caused quite the stir this morning," she greeted Harry with a smile, her hair a shocking shade of blue.

"Not really, they just needed to be taught what this whole thing is about. After all, they graduate next year."

"True. Remus tells me you have something planned for this lesson too."

Harry shot her a mysterious grin, "Maybe, maybe not."

"Oh now _that's_ not fair! You can't leave me hanging like _that_!" she pouted, while Harry laughed.

"I can do as I like, _Professor_," he replied. "Besides, you won't be there to witness it anyway."

"Yeah I will, why do you think I'm walking with you?"

Harry looked somewhat confused. "I thought you had a Transfiguration class to teach?"

"Not until three," she answered.

Harry sighed, then looked around, making sure they were alone before pulling Tonks into an empty classroom.

"Do you treat all your Professors this way, Harry?" she sweetly asked.

"Now, now, Tonks, I'm not Tobius so you can cut with that tone," Harry shot back, watching carefully for her reaction. Judging by the glare that she then sent him, Harry didn't know what to think about it, so he decided to take a risk.

"You, er, don't fancy him, do…?"

"I do not! Wherever did you get _that_ ridiculous idea from!" she cut in, her eyes narrowing even more, leaving Harry feeling even more confused.

"Ok, ok, but if you're going to talk to me like that, I won't tell you what I'll be doing for the class."

He turned towards the door, before being spun around, noticing that Tonks had assumed what Remus called her poker face; all business. Harry then proceeded to tell her what he had in mind, and Tonks' eyes sparkled with mischief while widening in horror.

"Harry, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Yes, yes, trust me, this'll be brilliant!"

"I don't like that smirk you've got."

"Oh come on, Tonks. Admit it, you're dying to see their reaction as well! Not even _Ron_ knows I'm doing this."

Tonks had to confess that Harry was right, and gave him a small smile as they stepped into the classroom for Harry's first time to teach the third year class of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Seeing Harry arrive, the students quickly became quiet. They had heard about Harry's lesson with the seventh years over lunch, and how he had managed to jinx half the class before they even knew what was going on. They were unaware of what he had planned for them today, however.

"Right. Tell me everything you know about Dementors," Harry began, Ron giving him a quizzical look while Tonks just shook her head slightly.

"One of the foulest creatures known to wizardkind."

"Their kiss is considered to be nearly unbearable to witness."

"They can be forced to flee against the Patronus charm."

Harry held up his held for silence, and the class obeyed him. "Thank you. It is clear that you don't have any idea what Dementors are." This comment was met by a round of complaints, even by the Aurors. Ron shot sparks out of his wand to allow Harry to continue his lesson. "Thanks Ron. You may think I'm wrong, but can anyone tell me how Dementors are created?"

Silence greeted this comment, and Harry nodded his head slightly. "I thought so. Let me tell you then. Dementors are not that different to us. There is an ancient spell that a wizard can cast, which makes them lose their soul. This is how the first Dementors were created. This is also how Lord Voldemort survived his own Killing curse."

"What?" an Auror said. "But you're the only person in history to have…"

"He never died," Harry cut in. "He merely lost his own body, and was floating around as a spirit, trying to gather enough strength to return to his body. He modified the spell, enabling him to keep his soul, while allowing him the benefits of being a Dementor."

"How do you know all this?"

Harry looked at Brendan who had asked the question. "Because I killed the Dementor that was created the night he killed my parents in our final battle."

"It's impossible to kill a Dementor though."

"No, just exceptionally hard. While the Patronus keeps them at bay, feeding on it rather than you, it also hurts them."

The same Auror (whose name Harry later learned was Johan Brinklehogg) from before snorted, and Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "You disagree?"

"Dementors don't have feelings, Potter. The way you're describing them, it would appear as if you had one for a pet. You may have been their master once, but not anymore," Johan replied.

"Do you know how they make us relive our worst memories?"

Harry allowed himself to smirk when he was unable to provide an answer. "It's quite simple; Dementors are telepathic." This comment was met with gasps, while the Ravenclaws were frantically scribbling down notes. "Now, can anyone describe the effects a Dementor can give you?"

"They make you feel cold. They suck all the happiness away."

"Anything else?" No one spoke, and Harry nodded. "That's good, but only half the description."

"Half? What do you mean?"

"You are describing the effects when they wish to be noticed. What do you feel when they don't _want_ to be spotted?" Again, silence was Harry's answer. "Ok then. You won't feel anything unless they want you to."

"Preposterous!" Johan exclaimed. "Are you trying to say that they can sneak around without being detected? That's a right laugh that is!"

Harry grinned. "Yeah, I am actually. What would you say if I told you a Dementor was in this very room, right now?"

"I'd say you need to visit the hospital wing!"

Harry grinned then raised his wand. "Watch this. Accio Invisibility Cloak!"

The cloak flew from beside the Auror who had been arguing, unveiling a black-cloaked figure floating next to them. Harry watched in amusement as Johan fell to the ground in a dead faint.

"How…how do we know that…that's a real Dementor?" Brendan asked.

"An excellent question, ten points to Hufflepuff. John, would you kindly please turn on your defences?"

The Dementor gave no indication of recognition to Harry, but he knew John had understood when the temperature in the room dropped suddenly and the faces of those people who thought it was a trick soon changed into one of pure terror.

Harry got John to stop after a few seconds, and while he and Ron were going around the class handing out chocolate to those who needed it most, Tonks casually addressed the class, "Anyone else disagree with anything Harry's been saying now?"

The deathly silence that followed effectively put to rest any further arguments.


	19. Chapter 19 – Making A Point

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Very well, the story starts to pick up a bit of pace from here, and things should (hopefully!) begin to make sense.

Oh, and I got the nickname for Tobius from the fact that werewolves have tufted tails…well, that's what Peter says in Order.

Also, please note that there is now 4 weeks until I leave for my holiday, so I highly doubt this fic shall be getting updated for a while after chapter 23 (I am posting both 21 and 22 at the same time for reasons you shall soon know).

* * *

**Chapter 19 – Making A Point**

It had taken nearly three weeks for everyone to get used to the sight of Harry being shadowed throughout the corridors of Hogwarts by a Dementor. Remus had tried to convince Harry to change his name, but it appeared that John quite liked his 'new' name, and had taken to putting up his defences whenever Remus mentioned it. Eventually Remus conceded, even though he glared at Harry every time he addressed John.

The first two Quidditch games had been played, with Ravenclaw and Slytherin being victorious, though Hufflepuff had been a bit unlucky not to steal their game with Slytherin. Charl McMillan, Ernie's son, was just about to grab the snitch, but a well-directed bludger had smashed into his outstretched arm, leaving the Slytherin seeker with a free shot at the snitch. Brendan had settled in reasonably well as beater, and had gained in confidence when his first swing at a bludger left the Slytherin keeper, who had taken to hurling insults at him (some things never change), with a bloody nose.

It was during lunch one day, when John gave Harry some bad news. Everyone was chatting amongst themselves, eagerly anticipating next weekends matches, when Harry shot out of his chair and yelled "WHAT?!"

Harry's outburst immediately silenced the hall, with several people asking what was wrong.

"Pyren has been attacked," he said before vanishing in a flash of orange, not hearing the gasps from those he left behind.

Harry arrived at what remained of Pyren. It appeared that he was one of the first to arrive as there were only a few people looking around the ruins of the small wizarding town. Several pops were heard as Hermione, Ron, Remus, Bianca (who came with Remus), Ginny, Kingsley, Tonks, Draco, Fleur and many more apparated nearby, while the Beauxbatons staff also came down within a few minutes.

Remus looked around the place he had visited just over a month ago in shock. What was once a beautiful village, was now nothing more than a smoking pile of rubble. He wasn't alone as all of those who had seen Pyren were either shaking their heads in disbelief, or comforting those who were openly crying at the devastation.

"I…I don't believe this," Remus croaked out, while Fleur did her best to console her younger sister whose body was trembling in shock.

Harry was one of the few who were moving through the streets, looking for any signs of life. With his very limited knowledge of French (whatever he could remember from when Remus was learning), he picked up that Pyren was mainly a commercial village, with very few places having space for people to stay overnight.

Remus was also making his way through the town, his mind a whirl of thoughts at why anyone would attack a place at night, knowing it would be virtually void of people. If they wanted to make a statement, they would have done it during the day like they tried to do last time.

A scream was heard from nearby, catching Remus' attention as he hurried to see what had happened. He arrived at the same time as Harry did to find a large group of people gathered around what used to be the water fountain at the very centre of the village. They soon saw the reason for the scream as a message in a sickly green was hovering above the fountain.

_Next time there will be no mistake. You will soon join us._

"What do you suppose that means?" Ron asked as he stood next to Harry.

"I don't know. Maybe they intend to attack when there'll be a crowd next time," Harry replied, watching as Gabrielle flicked her wand at the writing causing it to vanish.

"That doesn't explain the last bit though," Bianca said.

"Nor does it help in trying to figure out whoever is in charge of organising the attacks," Hermione added, and Bianca gave Harry a quick look, clearly surprised that he hadn't told anyone about their conversation.

* * *

An Order meeting had been scheduled for that night, with the attack on Pyren being its focus. The majority of the Order was silent, with Remus and Harry being two of the few to talk. Harry told them how John had informed him of the attack, and that it appeared to be a spur of the moment decision since no sooner had everyone been summoned, the Dementors had been told to remain behind while everyone else carried out the attack.

The meeting didn't last long, and Remus waited for Harry who had stayed behind after everyone had left. But it wasn't Remus that Harry wanted to talk to.

"You go on, Remus, I might be a while still."

Remus nodded and headed off to their quarters while Harry walked a little quicker to catch up to Bianca.

"You haven't told them, have you?" she said the instant he was within range not to be overheard.

"It's not my place to do that," he replied.

"Then I misjudged you, I assumed you would that very night."

Harry shrugged. "I kind of figured that you'd tell them when you're ready."

Bianca nodded and entered her room while Harry waited outside, wondering if she still wanted to talk.

"You can come in, you know. I would have thought that much was obvious since I left the door open," she replied.

"Just making sure," Harry answered as he came in and sat in front of the fireplace. Bianca sat down in the other chair and a silence came between them, Harry knowing that she was weighing up whether or not to tell the Order what she knew at the next meeting, or if she should wait a little longer.

"He's ruthless, isn't he?" Harry said, causing Bianca to break her train of thought.

"I guess he is, but Halele said he wasn't always like that. Actually, he told me that Brard only changed when the war began."

"I don't understand why he'd attack the same place though. There wasn't anyone there since he attacked at night."

Bianca gave a short laugh, "It's obvious why he did it. Remus stuffed it up last time, and we vampires don't take too kindly when our pride gets knocked around."

"You're saying he did it to prove to himself that he could?"

"No," she answered, "He did it to prove to _us_ that he could."

Harry nodded in understanding before looking over at Bianca again. "What's your story then? Apart from the fact that you're a vampire, I don't know much else about you."

She gave him an amused smile and flicked her hair out of her face as she sighed. "I'm not that interesting, certainly not as much as the _boy-who-lived_."

Harry scowled at that, "I hate that name. Who wants to be famous for something like that anyway?"

"I was just saying that my life is nowhere near as…turbulent as yours."

"Humour me," he answered.

"Well, I was born in Glasgow and my parents moved to Cardiff when I was three. Went to school there, and started doing a business degree at Uni. I had to drop out when I couldn't afford the fees after Brard killed my parents and turned me. Been doing part-time work at the corner shop for the last year and a half," she looked up at Harry and rolled her eyes, "pretty exciting huh?"

"I'd take that over having a Dark Lord intent on killing you most of your life," he replied.

Bianca shrugged before suddenly dragging her chair closer to the fire. "I guess. I'd always wondered about the Wizarding world. My Uncle told me a fair bit of it when I was younger. Told me all about Hogwarts and stuff like that."

"Who was your Uncle? I think you mentioned he was a squib."

Bianca nodded, "He was, but he wasn't technically my Uncle, he just babysat when I was young. Because my parents both worked, I got to see a fair bit of him, so I just started calling him Uncle Argus."

"Argus? Er, his last name wasn't Filch by any chance?" Harry asked.

She nodded again, "Yeah it was, and that's how I knew who you were. Quite the troublemaker at Hogwarts he told me," she said, grinning at him.

Harry was stunned. He didn't think Filch had a kind bone in his body from the time he was at Hogwarts since he always came across as bitter, but it seemed there was more to the old cleaner than he thought.

Bianca saw the look on Harry's face and added, "Don't get me wrong, he wasn't the nicest person going around. He didn't really like his job at Hogwarts, but couldn't do much about it since he was a squib. It had been the only job he'd ever had so he didn't really want to leave."

Harry slowly nodded in understanding. Filch had retired the year before Harry and Remus came here, age finally catching up with him as he wasn't able to keep up with the students anymore.

Another silence fell between them before Harry gave her a small smile, "And here you said that your life was boring."

She laughed again, "It was! I didn't get to do anything like the stuff you did," she then got a painful look on her face, "At least, it was boring until three years ago when Brard showed up."

Harry recognised this as his cue to leave. As he was about to shut the door, he heard Bianca's voice from inside, "Thank you for listening, Harry."

* * *

Harry got up the next morning, yawning as he entered the main room.

"Busy night then?" Remus asked with an amused look on his face.

"Not really, we just talked."

Remus chuckled and Harry glared at him. "We did! You've seen how she gets, she doesn't trust anyone."

"I know, Harry, I'm just living in the past. She reminds me of Lily."

"Except for the fact that Bianca's a vampress and has purple eyes," Harry reminded him.

"You mean violet," Remus corrected him.

"Do I?" Harry asked. "I thought it was purple?"

"You planning on getting punched?"

"Er...no."

"Then you mean violet. And on that topic, when your mother got angry, she could probably rival a vampress' temper," he replied.

Harry smiled and the two of them made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. They had barely made it inside when Hermione's voice boomed out from the staff table, "HARRY JAMES POTTER, HOW COULD YOU KEEP THAT INFORMATION TO YOURSELF?! DO YOU EVEN _BOTHER_ USING THAT BRAIN OF YOURS?!"

Remus looked at Harry, not knowing what Hermione was talking about, while Harry scanned the table and found a somewhat sheepish Bianca doing her best to slide beneath the table.

'Ah, she must have told Hermione about Brard,' he thought, shrugging off Hermione's continuing tirade as he made his way to the front of the hall to sit down for breakfast.

"Are you even listening to me?!" she demanded.

"Kind of," Harry replied. "But I don't know what the fuss is all about. It was Bianca's story to tell, not mine."

That effectively cut off any reply Hermione had, so she glared at him before turning back to her breakfast. Just as Harry did the same, Remus tugged on his sleeve. "Er, do you mind filling me in?"

But, before Harry could respond, Bianca answered for him, leaving out Halele's part in things as she understandably didn't like telling anyone that. After she finished, Remus gaped at her, before shaking his head and turning to a still fuming Hermione.

"I agree with Harry, it wasn't his place to inform anyone about it."

"How can you _say_ that?"

"Just as it was my choice to let people know about me being a werewolf," he finished, ignoring Tonks' remark.

That quickly sobered everyone up, and several people grumbled apologies to Harry, who made a mental note to thank Remus later.

* * *

"This is all there is on him?" Charlie questioned.

"So it would seem," Remus replied.

The library was packed with Order members, but all they had found on Brard Darkspawn was a detailed description of the 1928 duelling tournament. It listed some of the spells he had used and how long each of his duels had lasted, plus with the fact that he had attended Hogwarts from 1898 to 1905. 'Hogwarts: A History' had been checked and rechecked, but apart from finding out that Brard had been Ravenclaw Prefect, there wasn't anything else listed. Even the vampire books only listed him in name and said he got turned prior to the 1928 tournament, but after his schooling days.

"I must say," Fleur said, looking over Charlie's shoulder, "He is quite dashing."

Charlie spluttered in disbelief, as did the rest of the wizards and Hermione and Bianca, while the other witches privately agreed with Fleur's comment. The picture of Brard in the duelling history book showed a tall man with long blond hair and a wonderful smile. Harry thought he looked similar to Lucius Malfoy, but when he voiced this, Draco had sent him a few choice words along with an itching jinx.

Bianca wasn't able to help much either since she had told them all she could remember Halele telling her about Brard. In the end, while everyone was glad to now have a face to put against the attacks, they still were a long way off from figuring out someway to combat them.


	20. Chapter 20 – Taken

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Don't worry, you'll be hearing more about Brard soon enough….and no, he isn't Lucius (remember, I killed him off), nor is he in any way related to Draco. It was just easier to say he looks like someone than write a description…yup, I'm just lazy, lol!

Also, in case you were wondering, Bianca is 21. I imagined her being 18 when she started Uni, got attacked during her first year, continued studying for another 6 months or so before dropping out and getting her current job. If I hadn't made it all that clear…I hope it is now, lol!

* * *

**Chapter 20 – Taken**

November made way for December, and Hogwarts soon found itself blanketed by a thick layer of snow. The Quidditch matches had gone on as scheduled, though all the teams didn't play to their full potential. It therefore wasn't really surprising when Hufflepuff beat Ravenclaw and Gryffindor defeated Slytherin, leaving all four teams having won a game each, with only a handful of points separating them.

Everyone was still on edge from what happened at Pyren, particularly when John let Harry know that Brard's next target was Hogsmeade. As a precaution, four additional alarms were situated around the village in the hope of detecting any intruders. The village of Pyren had nearly been restored with everyone willing to pitch in and help any way they could. The buildings had been either repaired of completely rebuilt, and Gabrielle was hopeful that the town might be able to reopen in time for Christmas.

It was a bleak and miserable Thursday morning that greeted Harry when he woke. He was somewhat surprised to find that Remus wasn't up yet, before remembering that Remus had spent most of the previous day in Pyren helping with the repairs. Harry didn't have to wait long as the older wizard stumbled into the living room, yawning and looking like he could use another several hours of sleep.

"You look terrible."

Remus glared at Harry before yawning again. "I feel terrible too. Not quite myself today."

"You can pop into the hospital wing after breakfast I guess," Harry suggested, though Remus shook his head.

"I'll be fine, I just need to wake up fully, that's all."

Harry nodded and the two of them made their way to breakfast, with John floating along behind Harry. They met up with Bianca, who had been unusually nice since the attack, though Harry felt that she was trying to show to everyone that not all vampires are sadistic creatures that liked destroying things just for fun.

"What's wrong with Remus?" she whispered to Harry.

"He's still a bit tired after helping out yesterday," he replied before raising his voice enough so Remus could hear him. "That's what happens when you get old."

Remus shot Harry a glare. "No respect these days, I don't know," he muttered before yawning again, causing Harry and Bianca to start laughing at him.

Remus' mood improved throughout the day, unlike the weather. Quidditch practice had been cancelled as a thick mist settled in bringing with it blizzard-like conditions. It was just past four in the afternoon when the one thing that could have possibly made the day even worse happened; the Hogsmeade alarms went off.

The Order, with the exception of the students, scurried around preparing themselves for the battle as quickly as they could. Harry pulled on Trent's duelling robe, while Remus clambered into his dragon skin vest. They nodded at each other before racing outside to join the others. They reached the edge of the wards, and Harry grabbed Bianca's arm before apparating them both to Hogsmeade.

The sight that greeted them wasn't pleasant. Spells of all colours were lighting up the streets, and Harry could make out smoke rising from several buildings. He didn't have much time to contemplate things as a spell struck his back and he heard a gasp from the person who cast it.

'Must have been Crucio,' Harry thought as he countered with some well placed jinxes, easily rendering his enemy useless before moving on to the next challenger.

Bianca meanwhile had managed to find a nice secluded area from which she could pick off people with arrows (since she didn't have a wand and couldn't use magic anyway). She was just about to reload, when she caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. Not wasting any time, she turned in that direction and hurled one of her daggers, hoping she wasn't aiming at one of their own.

Harry turned as he heard someone say "Avada" and was about to dive out of the way when a flash of silver thudded into the side of the man. On closer inspection, Harry recognised Bianca's dagger and smiled, knowing that she was probably having fun getting revenge on the people who had made her life miserable.

Remus was likewise firing spells in all directions, felling numerous opponents when he came upon a sight that he would never forget; Brard had arrived, and was taking down Order members almost as fast as one could blink. In a matter of ten seconds, Remus watched as Neville, George, Angelina, Fleur and three Hogsmeade residents were tossed aside with the vampire barely raising a sweat. He then looked over in Remus' direction and smirked.

He raised his wand, with Remus doing the same to defend himself, and launched a powerful bludgeoning spell at him. Remus dived out of the way, and watched as the spell crashed into the store behind him. He therefore didn't see Brard cast another spell at him, and the last thing Remus saw before blacking out, was the building falling down around him.

Harry wasn't having any such trouble, though he wondered why the vampires and werewolves had stayed to fight. He had seen several members from the Order apparating or portkeying the wounded back to Hogwarts, getting them to the safety of the hospital wing. A voice calling out for help from near his position quickly brought his focus back and he tracked the sound to a pile of rubble. Harry quickly levitated some of the debris away revealing a bloodstained face of a man who looked up at Harry and gave him a very weak smile.

"Mr Potter," the man managed to cough out.

"Mr Ollivander," Harry responded in as he recognised his voice.

"Let me remember; holly, eleven inches, tail feather of a phoenix."

Harry nodded back at him, even though he knew _that_ wand had been destroyed a long time ago. He then thought about what he needed to complete his own wand.

"You don't happen to have any feathers from a white phoenix do you?"

"No, I have never been able to get my hands on any. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering," Harry lied. His mind then strayed to a book he had come across during his second year of teaching Defence at Hogwarts.

_-flashback-_

Harry was browsing through the restricted section of the library, skimming over all the titles when one book caught his eye. It had no title, and was painfully thin. Intrigued, Harry picked it out and tried to open it, but the book remained shut. Confused, he did the first thing that came to mind. He drew his wand and whispered "Alohomora."

The book still remained sealed but flashed out some details.

_Last accessed and opened; May 30, 1977. Wand details – 10.25 inches, oak, dragon heartstring._

_Now accessed; December 14, 2003. Wand details – 11.75 inches, unknown creation, unknown core._

Harry looked amazed, but scribbled down the information, just in case in vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He figured it couldn't detect his wands' details since it was, in fact, two wands merged together. He also knew that only books that dealt in the Dark Arts took such precautions as this. Harry informed Madam Pince that he'd be borrowing this book out, permanently.

_-end flashback-_

"Have you sold any oak with dragon heartstring wands before 1977? Ten and a quarter inches in length?"

Ollivander made to move, but the pain was too much. Harry had been unable to prevent the debris from causing damage.

"Ah, most curious. I have only sold two such wands of that length with those details. But just the one before the year you asked."

"Who owned it?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

Harry's interest in the book had just reached a new level. He quickly apparated himself and Ollivander back to Hogwarts, leaving him in the hospital wing to be cared for before he headed to his quarters to collect a book. After that, he left for Marauder's Mansion in the blink of an eye, leaving a flash of orange behind him.

* * *

No sooner had Harry appeared in the living room, he was already addressing the man who had the answer he was looking for. 

"All right, Peter. How do you open it?" he demanded.

"Open what, Harry?" he replied, a thoroughly confused look on his face.

"This," Harry answered, shoving the book up against his face. "You opened it in your final year. From the restricted section. Ring any bells?"

Peter's eyes widened in recognition. "That…that…how did you find it?!" he spluttered.

"Doesn't matter, tell me how to open it!"

"It…it's password protected," he squeaked back.

"Obviously it is, Wormtail. He wouldn't have asked you how to open it if he didn't know _that_!" Sirius replied, rolling his eyes in amusement.

"Exactly, now tell me the password!"

"Why are you so interested in that book, son?" James asked.

"Because it recorded my wand details," he snarled, not taking his eyes from the blond-haired wizard.

"It did that?" Sirius remarked, before turning to Peter with a dark look on his face. "You know, Peter, only one type of book does that."

"Yes," Remus added. "One that deals with the darkest of Dark Arts," he finished, also looking at Peter with increased loathing, as were James and Lily after he had said this.

"I…I didn't…I mean I…"

"TELL ME THE PASSWORD!" Harry roared, as he pointed his wand straight at Peter who squeaked again in reply. He tried to hide behind Sirius who quickly lifted him off his feet.

"Tell him, Peter," he threatened.

"All…all right, I will. Just…just put me down! Please!" he begged.

Sirius complied and dropped him, Peter landing with a 'thud' on the floor of the portrait.

"I…I found out by accident. I just…just said that I wish I was as powerful as my friends. Bu…but I didn't know what was going to happen!"

Harry glared, before saying those same words. No sooner had he done so, the book glowed crimson and started to change. He looked on as new words appeared on the front of it; 'Power at a Price: The Dark Arts revealed'.

Harry was stunned, but it was nothing compared to the very first spell he came across. He stared in disbelief, reading through it, his eyes occasionally flickering between it and Peter before he staggered back, the book falling to the floor in a heap.

"Harry, what is it? You look awfully pale," Lily said, her voice full of concern.

"I…I don't believe it. How could you?" Harry whispered before he raised his wand and screamed "HOW COULD YOU!"

"Harry! What are you doing?!" James cried, noticing the wicked gleam in his son's eyes.

"I should've let them kill you, you know," he spat.

Peter's eyes then widened as he realised what Harry had meant.

"Please, Harry! I…I didn't…I mean I…please, have mercy on me!"

Harry clenched his free hand into a fist, and glared. "I already _did_ give you mercy. Much more than you _possibly_ deserved," he growled.

He then lowered his wand, albeit rather reluctantly. "You're lucky it's impossible, _Pettigrew_," Harry spat. "Or I'd bring you back to life, just so I could kill you with my bare hands."

Harry then picked the book up, before vanishing in a flash of orange. James then asked the most obvious question.

"Care to tell us what that was all about, Wormtail?"

Peter looked at his friends, his face etched in regret. "I…I did something incredibly stupid," he replied.

"Oh really," Sirius snorted. "We hadn't noticed."

"You used a spell from that book, didn't you?" Lily accused him.

"I…I must have, after I'd joined Voldemort," he whispered.

"Which one?" Remus inquired.

Peter tried to reply, but his voice became too choked up with emotion. He could only shake his head, his friends understanding that whatever he'd done, it was far too horrible to talk about.

* * *

Harry arrived back at Hogsmeade after interrogating the portrait Peter, thinking carefully about what he had just discovered. He noticed that the battle was over, and while the village was heavily damaged, it was in far better shape than Pyren had been. With nothing left to do but help in scouring the area for survivors, his thoughts were broken when he heard his name being called. He turned towards the direction in which the voice had come from, and was greeted with a rather distressed Tobius. 

"What is it? What happened?"

"He's gone! They've taken him!" Tobius exclaimed.

"Who's gone?"

"Dad."

That one word bought the battle into sharp focus; they hadn't wanted to fight, they wanted Remus…but why?


	21. Chapter 21 – Worse Than Crucio

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Alright, so this chapter is about what happens to Remus, and sorry for having a cliffie (sort of…me being sorry that is, lol). I'd also like to say a big thank you to J K Rowling for giving me the one name I really wanted in HBP!

Um, I am obligated to issue a warning at this point; the last half of this chapter won't help those of you who get queasy quite easily…a bit like me, come to think of it. I suggest you skip straight to chapter 22 since I'm posting it on here right after this one. I'll have a little summary at the start of it so you won't miss much…just the 'eww' bit (and, let me just say this; I certainly won't be losing any sleep if anyone complains to me about not being warned. If _you_ don't read these notes, that ain't _my_ problem. After all, I have upped the rating of this fic for a reason).

* * *

**Chapter 21 – Worse Than Crucio**

Remus slowly opened his eyes, and, after a few blinks, his vision soon returned. He saw that he was in a cell, but still had his wand.

'Well, this is most interesting,' he mused, trying the unlocking charm with no success.

'I wonder why that isn't working?' he thought, trying to open the door wandlessly with the same results before a rasping bark of laughter brought him from his musings.

He looked up and spotted someone standing across his cell in the shadows. As the person stepped forward towards him, Remus saw that the stranger had long, matted grey hair and whiskers. He could easily pick up the stench of sweat, dirt and blood that the man reeked of and with his heightened senses, it was nearly enough for Remus to start gagging. The man then brought a filthy hand up, which had long yellow nails, and casually scratched his nose.

"Long time no see, Remus."

"How do you know my name?"

The man snorted. "Everyone knows _you_, Remus. After all, you're the only one of us to have been cured."

"You're a werewolf?"

"You don't remember me?"

Remus was about to reply when a memory suddenly appeared in his mind.

_-flashback-_

It was night, and, beneath the light of the full moon, two young brothers could be seen, one with light brown hair, the other with blond. They were chasing each other around, when they both stopped at the edge of a forest. The brown-haired boy was peering intently into the forest, and slowly pushed his way forward.

The blond-haired boy quickly pulled him back. "Mum said not to go too far!" he said.

The boy with brown hair laughed. "Oh, come on, Romulus! We're not going to be out for too long. Besides," the boy then gestured upwards, "We've got the moonlight to guide us back if we get lost."

"But Remus, Mum said…"

"Just a quick look, Rom, and then we'll go back. I thought I heard something."

The blond-haired boy reluctantly agreed, and the two of them slowly made their way into the forest. The moonlight pierced the gaps in the branches, lighting parts of their path, while the rest remained in a blanket of darkness. The two boys walked in silence for some time, until a distant howl was heard.

"What was that?!" Romulus asked as the two of them stopped.

"Sounded like a dog," Remus answered.

"No it didn't!"

"What else could it be?"

"I…I don't know. A…a werewolf maybe?" Romulus hesitantly replied.

"You and me both know that no werewolves live near here, Rom. That's what Dad always told us."

"I know, Mus, but…"

"You worry too much! If it makes you feel better, we can head back home alright" Remus interrupted.

"I do _not_ worry too much! I…I just don't…I don't want Mum to yell at us!"

"Neither do I, but what could possibly hap…"

Remus was cut off when another howl was heard, much closer to them than the last one.

Both boys looked at each other before starting to run back the way they came. They had nearly made it back to the forest's edge when a growl came from behind them. The two of them froze. Remus slowly turned around and came face-to-face with a wolf…a rather hungry one at that.

_-end flashback-_

Remus closed his eyes. He could still remember the screams, both his own and that of Romulus'. He remembered his brother shoving him out of the way as the wolf leapt at him. He saw his brother's body crumple to the ground as the werewolf attacked and mauled him. It was like nothing Remus had ever seen before. He wanted desperately to turn and run, but his body was rooted to the spot, forcing him to watch the horrific scene unfold.

He remembered the wolf then turning to face him. But most of all, Remus remembered the feral look on their attacker's face. He opened his eyes and glared at the man in front of him. Remus hadn't known the identity of the werewolf who had infected him until during Voldemort's first rise to power. And until he did, he always thought his attacker was mortified at what they had done…how wrong he was.

"I could never forget _you_," he coldly answered, "Fenrir Greyback."

The man smirked before replying, "No hug for your alpha?"

Remus continued glaring. "I don't hug _anyone_ who ruins my life."

"What are you waiting for then? Curse me," Fenrir challenged. Remus raised his wand, before lowering it reluctantly, causing the older werewolf to chuckle. "You don't have it in you, do you? You're a disgrace to our people."

"I consider going around destroying innocent peoples lives more of a disgrace," Remus spat.

"I see. That will change, I'm sure. You'll soon come around to our way of thinking. You don't know the thrill of the chase, Remus. The sheer, unadulterated rush you get when chasing down your prey. The incredible feeling of your fangs burying into the soft flesh. The warm feeling of blood spurting everywhere."

Remus could feel his anger starting to rise as Fenrir continued to describe the very things he had always been afraid of doing. He wasn't even aware that he had raised his wand and had it pointed straight at Fenrir's chest.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Instead of feeling the spell erupting from its tip, nothing happened.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that," Fenrir said, a broad smile on his gnarled face. "You can't use spells in here; it's all part of the wards."

"Anti-magic," Remus guessed.

"No, only anti-prisoner. The rest of us can use them. Of course, there are those of us who prefer to do things the old-fashioned way."

At this, Fenrir shot out a hand and grabbed Remus by the throat. He then easily lifted Remus off the ground and delivered a punch to his stomach, leaving him gasping for breath before being dropped on the ground.

The last thing Remus remembered, before a boot connected with his head, was Fenrir's comment, "You're lucky I am under orders to not kill you."

* * *

When Remus next woke, he found he was strapped to a chair and had a blinding headache. He forced himself to focus through the pain, letting out a faint groan as he tried to get a better look at where he was.

The room was quite small, and reminded him a little of a hospital. He vaguely wondered if he was in St Mungo's, before remembering that it had been destroyed in the first attack some twenty years ago. So even if it had been rebuilt, Brard would be the one who had control of it.

Remus was brought from his musings when the door opened and a man dressed exactly like a healer walked in, looking surprised that Remus was awake.

"I should have realised that dosage wouldn't keep _you_ out long," he then sneered, "After all, once a lycan, always a lycan."

Remus was about to speak, but the man cut him off, "Save your breath, you're not going to say anything that I haven't heard before."

The man then walked over to one of the desks and picked up a needle, filling the end of it with a vial of green liquid before returning to Remus. "All I will say is this; I hope you like it here. You won't be able to escape."

Remus then sucked in a breath as he felt the sharp pain of the needle penetrating his arm before sleep claimed him again.

* * *

The tall, imposing figure of Brard was currently sitting in his room, when a knock at his door could be heard. He sighed, waving his wand to unlock the door as a vampire with short brown hair came in.

"What is it, Halele?"

"He has awoken, sir."

"And?"

"All vital signs indicate he passed the first test."

"So despite being cured, he is still a lycan?"

"That is what the healer said."

Brard allowed himself to smirk. "Excellent, he will be our best capture yet."

"What about the other lycan; Fenrir? Surely he won't defer to one younger than himself?"

"He won't be given a choice, Halele. Is everything prepared for his initiation?"

"Yes sir, all we require is your acceptance to begin the final process."

Brard waved his hand is a dismissive manner. "I thought it would have been obvious that you have my permission."

"Er, yes, thank you, sir," Halele said, bowing as he headed for the door.

Just before he reached it, Brard spoke again, "Oh, and don't question my decisions again. Crucio!"

* * *

A sharp pain on his cheek brought Remus back to reality as he snapped his eyes open. The same healer as before was standing over him, his gaze shifting from Remus to a chart that listed his physical condition.

"You need to be awake for this part," he said, leaving Remus feeling quite confused with that comment.

He felt a little different than he could remember. For one thing, his sense of smell had increased, for another, he felt stronger and somewhat more alive than he could remember. Had he been in front of a mirror, he would have also noticed that his hair was longer and contained no traces of grey.

Three more people entered his room. He immediately recognised one as Brard and another as Fenrir, but the third remained a mystery (since Remus hadn't met Halele before).

"Well, Halele, it seems you were right for once," Brard said in a rather amused tone.

Halele flushed slightly but nodded, while Fenrir glared at Remus with as much loathing as Severus used to do.

"How do you feel?" Brard asked in a caring, fatherly kind of voice.

Remus elected not to say anything, figuring that would annoy him more. He was therefore quite surprised when Brard smirked at him.

"Not very talkative. No matter, you will soon say _something_."

He then looked over to the healer and nodded. Remus watched as two more needles were prepared, one with a silver liquid and the other with turquoise, before the healer approached him again. He clenched his fists and shut his eyes, waiting for the familiar jab in his arm when the healer chuckled.

"This needs to be applied differently. Oh, and it might hurt a bit."

Remus then felt his eyes being forced opened, wondering what the healer meant. His eyes widened even more as he realised exactly where the needles were to go, and he tried in vain to wriggle out of the chair. Brard, who had sensed what was about to happen, quickly cast a cheering charm on Remus who visibly relaxed. He then let out an ear-splitting scream as both needles pierced his eyes and a mixture of the aqueous and vitreous humor (the two liquids in the eye) squirted out and splattered the front of the healer's robe.

He continued to scream as the vials emptied into his eyes, giving Remus a burning sensation. He thought he would pass out from the pain, but whatever liquid the needles held, it forced Remus to stay awake for the whole ordeal. Two further needles (containing the same liquids as the others) were then injected into his ears, with Remus again screaming as his eardrums burst, while both needles continued further in, piercing the outer skin of his brain.

The whole process lasted for just under two minutes, but for Remus, it felt like two hours. He had never experienced such pain before and thought that even the Cruciatus curse would feel better than this. The instant the needles were removed, he collapsed in his chair with Brard quickly checking to make sure he was still alive, which, thankfully, he was.

After all, it wouldn't do if they lost him when they were this close. The next time Remus woke, he would be the newest member of the Midnight Order.


	22. Chapter 22 – Bad Moon Rising

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Ok, for those of you who decided to skip last chapter, as I suggested in my notes, here's the final bit of it as I promised:

_Remus had never experienced such pain before, and he collapsed in his chair with Brard quickly checking to make sure he was still alive, which, thankfully, he was._

_After all, it wouldn't do if they lost him when they were this close. The next time Remus woke, he would be the newest member of the Midnight Order…_

* * *

**Chapter 22 – Bad Moon Rising**

Four days had passed since the battle at Hogsmeade. A special memorial service had been held for all those who perished at the battle and classes had been postponed until further notice. While George, Fleur and several Hogsmeade residents were able to make recoveries, Angelina, Neville and many more weren't so lucky. Fred and Ginny were almost inconsolable, while the rest of the Weasley family did their best to comfort them.

All kinds of methods had been employed in an effort to find Remus; from the simple 'point me' spell, to more advanced methods involving Tobius' blood and the clothes Remus had in his room. Harry had even tried to lock on his magical signature, but to no avail. It was like Remus had vanished into thin air. To make matters worse, Draco informed them that his potions stock had been raided, but he had no idea how they broke in since the only person that knew the password was himself.

Harry and Tobius, who had moved into Remus' room as they both tried to be strong for each other, were sitting in front of the fire just staring into space. Hermione had taken over Tobius' classes at his request, and both were incredibly frustrated at not knowing what had happened and why Remus was taken. A knock at the door went unanswered, until some quite colourful and constant yelling ground them down as Harry let a disgruntled Bianca in.

"Finally," she said, before taking a good look at the two of them. "You'd think that he'd been killed with the way you're both acting."

"He might be for all we know," Tobius replied, his voice void of any emotion.

"Remus isn't dead and you know that," she snapped back, glaring at him.

"How can you be so sure of that?" Harry asked, wanting to believe her words, but his heart just wasn't listening.

"Because think about it," she told them, "Brard attacked Pyren before, not knowing that Remus was there. He would have figured out that the attack didn't work from the papers, about the same time the rumours that Harry and Remus were back were going around."

Bianca then started to pace across the room. "Then he gets confirmation that Harry _is_ back, which would obviously mean that Remus was too. He loses five of his people at Surrey, along with a Dementor, though he might not have realised about that. He attacks Pyren again and left that message."

"He wanted Remus on his side," Harry whispered, understanding what Bianca was trying to say.

"But why? I mean, I can understand if he wanted you, Harry, but why Dad?"

"Because who knows Harry better than Remus? Brard knew he wasn't likely to get Harry, Hermione or Ron, but he knows all about werewolves since they fight alongside each other," Bianca answered.

"You mean he's going to try to get Remus to fight against us?"

"No Harry," she replied, "Brard's going to _force_ him into fighting us. This is war, and they'll use any means necessary to get their way. There are only two rules you need to remember in a war."

"What are they?"

She glanced at Tobius who had asked the question. "The first is that there are no rules."

"And the second?" Tobius inquired after she didn't continue.

Bianca gave him a rueful smile. "Is don't forget the first rule."

"But Remus wouldn't do that," Harry argued, "No matter what they do to him."

"I don't doubt that," Bianca agreed, "But Brard can be very persuasive when he wants to be. And if you did come across Remus in battle, I'm not sure whether he'd remember you once Brard's finished with him."

"How do you know all this?" Tobius asked. While what Bianca said made sense, it didn't do anything to relieve his spirits. In fact, if what Bianca said was right, he'd rather his father _had_ been killed.

"Because I'm a vampire as well, and it's…"

Bianca was cut off when a flash of fire erupted and Fawkes materialised with a rather dishevelled person.

"Gabrielle!" Harry exclaimed in surprise as he recognised the part veela.

"'arry? What 'appened?"

"I was about to ask _you_ that!" Harry replied.

"Fawkes came into my room and grabbed me. Zee next zing I know, I am 'ere," Gabrielle answered, still looking very flustered with Fawkes' timing. An awkward moment passed, with Gabrielle dressed only in her silk nightgown and shawl.

Harry coughed nervously, "Need a…er, a jacket or something?"

Gabrielle gratefully accepted the offer, before shivering again as John glided past her and hovered beside Harry. That had been the only good news in the wake of the Hogsmeade battle. Harry had called for all the Dementors to assemble at Hogwarts, taking away a large part of Brard's army. Ron had suggested sending several of the creatures to guard the other two schools, which everyone thought was a good idea. It was decided to have five Dementors posted at each school, with them 'reporting in' to John daily.

Harry found that he was able to judge the mood of John reasonably well, as whenever something 'good' had happened, there was no chill at all in the air when he gave his report. But whatever John had to say this time, it wasn't good as the colour in Harry's face drained away and his mouth fell open in shock.

Harry finally turned to the others and spoke in a near whisper, "Remus has been turned."

"How do you know that? What did he say?" Tobius demanded, nodding at the Dementor.

Harry looked at Tobius before turning his attention to Gabrielle. "There's no point in sending you back, Gabrielle, Beauxbatons is gone."

* * *

The small group of vampires and werewolves, led by Remus, arrived back at their headquarters, feeling very buoyed about the ease of their success. Granted, it was all down to Remus, but that was perhaps the only trait he had from his old self; modesty.

Remus swept through the corridors, heading for his debrief with Brard. Just before he pushed open the door, he heard the voices of Brard and Fenrir in a heated argument.

"You doubt his skills, Fenrir?"

"No, just his ability to control the situation."

"You just wanted this mission for yourself," a new voice, that of Halele's, said.

"I do have more experience in these matters," Fenrir smugly replied, while Remus growled to himself as he realised that his fellow werewolf thought so little of him.

"Well let's ask him then," Brard announced, "Since he's standing outside."

Remus let out a chuckle as he pushed the doors open to find Brard and Halele both looking reasonably happy, while Fenrir was scowling, 'Probably at the fact that I overheard this little chat,' he thought as he withdrew a small object from his robe and tossed it at Brard, who caught it deftly while arching an eyebrow.

"Think of it as a memento," Remus said, before glaring at Fenrir, "After all, it was almost all that was left when I was done."

"Almost?" Brard asked, amusement written all over his face as he pieced things together. "Well, I guess you have earned a reward."

That was the final straw for Fenrir; he could handle the fact that Brard wanted Remus for his magical ability; he could handle the fact that Remus would be immensely useful to them since he knew the majority of people on the light side. But there was no way he was about to let some jumped up young _pup_ take over _his_ rightful place as the Alpha.

Remus instinctively shot a wandless spell at the leaping Fenrir, who dropped to the floor clutching his throat as he felt the life being squeezed out of him. Remus released Fenrir and gave him a bit of time to regain his breath before launching at the older werewolf. Fenrir was taken by surprise by this, and the two of them were soon rolling around on the ground, growling and grappling for dominance over the over.

Eventually, Remus was able to gain control and pinned Fenrir down. He bared his teeth, letting out another growl, demanding Fenrir to back down. But Fenrir wasn't about to go down without a fight, and he was able to kick Remus, sending him across the room and smashing into the wall. The two then glared at each other, both their eyes flashing amber…with Brard and Halele watching the battle with keen interest.

It was then that Remus remembered he was a wizard, and Fenrir was soon writhing on the ground screaming in agony from a well placed Crucio. The curse was lifted after a while, whereupon Remus launched a series of cutting, bludgeoning and slashing hexes, seemingly intent of causing Fenrir as much pain as he could. While Remus was now part of the Midnight Order, he still hadn't forgiven Fenrir for turning him into a werewolf in the first place, and he was thoroughly enjoying his payback. Unfortunately for Remus, Brard wasn't in such a patient mood, and he demanded Remus to stop.

Remus raised an eyebrow at his leader before giving him a nod, releasing Fenrir from yet another Crucio. He then levelled his wand at the battered werewolf, his eyes steeled with no emotion at all.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The green light struck Fenrir who slumped to the ground, his eyes wide with shock at what had just happened to him. Remus then headed for the door, looking back at Brard before exiting.

"That gift was the school crest, by the way," he then sniffed in disdain, "And you might want to clean up this horrible stench."

Brard and Halele could both only smile cruelly as they watched the new Alpha strut away from the devastation he had created, holding his head high.

* * *

Annihilation…

Destruction…

Elimination…

Eradication…

Termination…

These were but a few words that could be used to describe the scene that met everyone. Harry was currently in his Phantom with Hermione, Gabrielle, Fleur, Tobius, Bianca, Ron and Ginny watching the scene from the air. Breakfast had been a very solemn affair after the reason to why Gabrielle was there had been announced. The group was presently above where Beauxbatons used to be. The magnificent countryside conflicted sharply with the massive crater that was where the famed school once proudly stood.

Harry's heart sank with what John had told him last night; Remus had done this. His surrogate Godfather had finally succumbed to the darkness within him. Harry could scarcely imagine what Tobius was feeling. He glanced over to Remus' son and tried not to notice the silent tears. Harry sighed and looked downwards.

It was worse on the ground, where the rest of the Order and families of those who attended the school were looking at the empty space in stunned disbelief. There was nothing left, not even one solitary slab of stone of Beauxbatons, it was completely wiped out. Harry had checked the map that Remus had created, but found he might as well be looking at a muggle drawn plan of it; no movement on it whatsoever.

Everyone was too shocked to speak; not that words were really required at this point. A preliminary sweep was able to reveal some of the spells used, while Harry was able to faintly detect numerous magical signature remnants…too many for him to count. He closed his eyes before he finally found courage to voice a question which he probably didn't really want answered. "How could Remus do all this by himself?"

"He didn't," Ron replied, shaking his head, "Judging by how quickly everything happened here, he would've had to have a large group with him."

"But then how could the rest get access then; isn't Beauxbatons under the advanced Fidelius?" Harry asked.

"Do…Dobby...he was the Secret Keeper for the school," Hermione choked out, tears still streaming down her face as she took in the devastation.

"Dobby! But then that...that means," Harry vanished in a flash of orange with one thought whizzing through his mind. 'Am I already too late?'

He arrived at the mansion...or rather, what was left of it. Harry didn't hear the others apparate shortly after as he finally managed to croak out, "Dobby? Winky?"

"'Arry!" Fleur called after a few minutes of frantic searching. "I 'ave found zem! Over 'ere!"

Harry, Ron, Ginny and everyone else hurried over. 'I'm too late!' Harry mentally cursed himself. Dobby, Winky and their children lay at his feet; their lives gone forever. "Remus..." he whispered to himself clenching his fists, "Remus how could you!"


	23. Chapter 23 –The Hunter Becomes The Hunte

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Will they find Remus…and even if they do, can he be brought back?

* * *

**Chapter 23 –The Hunter Becomes The Hunted**

It had been nearly two weeks since the battle at Hogsmeade, and Tobius and Harry were still sitting in Harry's quarters trying desperately to find something, some little clue that would lead them to Remus.

Tobius sighed and looked over to Harry. "Why do you keep fighting, when there's nothing left to fight for?"

Harry knew what Tobius meant but his answer was a rather complex one. The more he thought about it, the more it confused him. "I…I don't know," he truthfully replied. "I guess it's because I don't know any better. Ever since I was born I've been fighting; Voldemort, the fact that the Dursleys hated me, the Ministry."

"Then what kept you going?"

"Hope."

"That's it? What happens when there isn't any?"

"There's always hope, Tobius. You have to force yourself to keep going, against all odds. I did everything I did not because I wanted the attention, but because I had to. From my first year onwards, there was always something that made me push myself to a new level."

"I wish I could do that."

"I hope you don't have to."

"You're a hero to all these kids you know. Hell, both you and Dad are _my_ heroes."

"Everyone has it within themselves to be a hero."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you just have to believe in yourself. Sometimes…sometimes that's the only thing that _gives_ you hope."

They sat in silence before Harry sighed. "Look Tobius, this isn't easy for me either. I can't pick up any of his magical signature at all. If I could, you'd know we wouldn't be here, we'd be figuring out a strategy to get him back."

"I know, Harry. What about the Gabrielle's idea about using the Dementors? Can't you ask them?"

"Already tried that," Harry shook his head. "Right after she mentioned it. The only thing they can do is take us straight there. But I don't fancy the reception party we'd meet if we did that. I just wish there was a way to see what's inside…" His voice trailed off and a large smile formed on his face. "Of course! Why didn't I think of it sooner?!"

"What is it?" Tobius asked, watching as Harry jumped up and started rifling through his room.

"I have an idea," Harry replied as he pulled out the last present Dumbledore gave him. Tobius had no clue to what Harry needed his pensieve for as he was pretty sure that Harry didn't know where Brard's hideout was so he wouldn't be able to rely on his memories.

It wasn't until Harry summoned John that things started to make a little more sense; Harry might not have known…but the Dementors _did_ know where the hideout was. Tobius watched as Harry tried to remove a dark green thread of memory from John. The Dementor suddenly let out an unearthly shriek and jerked away from Harry as if in pain.

"Come on, John," Harry coaxed. "What did I do?" The Dementor didn't answer and Harry was looking more and more bewildered and frustrated as he tried again with the same result.

"What's wrong with him?" Tobius asked.

"I don't know," Harry shrugged. "He's not communicating with me." He thought for a while but no explanation came to him. "I'll ask Hermione." With that, Harry vanished in a flash of orange before returning a few minutes later with the Headmistress.

"Let me try," Hermione demanded after a moment watching Harry trying to remove a thread without John fleeing from him and feeling sorry for the Dementor. "Maybe he's afraid of wizards getting _that_ close to him." With that she pulled out her wand but John glided away the moment he noticed. "Oh come _on_! I won't hurt you." Hermione pleaded, but soon retreated when John raised his defences with every intention of hurting her if she proceeded.

"Well that worked like a charm!" Harry fumed as the chill slowly dispersed. "John! Shame on you!"

"I think," Hermione began after gratefully accepting a sweater which Tobius handed her. "Perhaps it's because of what we are."

"Excuse me?"

"Human, Harry," Hermione sighed. "Human." She then looked pointedly at Tobius who suddenly gulped as he realised what Hermione was insinuating; both John and himself were dark creatures.

Tobius edged closer to John who was floating in a corner, slowly swaying back & forth & looking as gloomy as ever. "Uh...hi George…"

"It's _John_!" Tuffy reminded with a snarl, making Tobuis speak as well. "Idiot." He, Tobius, chose to ignore the snickers of Harry and Hermione behind him as he moved forward. 'Quit making me talk aloud you stupid wolf!' He only got an angry huff in reply. "Right! John...ok."

It took the three of them several hours before they were able to accomplish what they set out. Hermione's idea about only Tobius being able to get the memory proved correct, but not the way she originally intended. Tobius had to absorb some of John's memories (which was made possible since he, like his father, had telepathy), then drew it out through his own mind like one usually did. As what occurred when Harry first tried, the thread was green but provided them with what they needed.

Harry managed to convince Hermione and Tobius to let him go in alone and he plunged into John's memory and found himself in a swirling cloud of grey before crashing into the ground. Harry didn't know where he was but watched in fascination as hundreds of Dementors and vampires were milling around them. Several popping noises were heard as the vampires apparated away and the memory soon faded before being replaced with another location, one Harry recognised instantly; Transylvania.

Harry wondered exactly when this memory was taken as they would've been informed from Durmstrang of any recent activity in the area. He walked over to a small group of vampires who were all looking around him in bewilderment leading Harry to believe they were new recruits.

A hooded figure materialised in front of the group and handed one of them a piece of parchment before vanishing again. Harry's curiosity got the better of him as he looked over the shoulder of one of the vampires and read what was on the note; _there is no tree._

What followed was one of the biggest shocks of Harry's life. Not wanting to see any more, he quickly withdrew from the memory and nodded grimly when Tobius and Hermione both asked if he found anything.

"This calls for an Order meeting," was the only thing Harry told them before retiring for the night.

* * *

The meeting ended and Harry and Bianca were making their way back to their respective rooms when they heard a voice call out, "Potter, come with me."

Harry motioned for Bianca to go on without him as Draco waited for him to catch up. The Slytherin then turned without bothering to make sure Harry was following him. 'I guess that's one trait a Malfoy will always keep,' Harry thought as the two of them stopped outside Draco's private quarters.

"You'll need more than your famed Gryffindor courage to get him back," the blond answered before turning back to the portrait of Salazar Slytherin. "Toujours pur."

"That's the Black family motto," Harry remarked and Draco turned with a smirk on his face.

"Indeed. And you're the only person who I have let in here. I thought about changing the password after what happened with the potion, but decided against it." He then walked into his private potions supply, scouring the shelves high and low before finding what he was after. "Ah, here we are," he said, handing a small vial of a golden liquid to Harry who looked at it questionably. "Felix Felicis," Draco replied, "Hopefully you won't _need_ luck, but it's better to be on the safe side."

"Spoken like a true Slytherin," Harry said, giving Draco a broad smile that the blond returned.

Harry made sure the vial was safely in his robe before he walked out of Draco's office. As Draco shut the door, he called out, "If you don't use that potion for your mission, you could definitely use it to get yourself a girlfriend."

Harry stopped and glared back at the closed door. "Watch yourself, Malfoy, I'd hate for you having to change your password."

He heard Draco laughing and turned to leave, "Or a boyfriend!" the horrible voice screeched at him. Harry whipped around and shot a few spells he had picked up from the Marauder portrait. He had almost reached the end of the corridor when he heard a roar as the bucket of ice water tipped onto Draco's head when he opened his door. "I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT, POTTER!"

* * *

Everyone had gathered to farewell Harry and wishing him all the best in his rescue mission. They watched as the Phantom silently lifted off the ground before flickering out of view as Harry activated the disillusionment charm. Several people stayed, waiting to hear the muffled 'crack' of the apparition mode before heading back into the castle. Tobius was about to follow suit when he noticed that Bianca was still staring at the space where Harry had left.

He had noticed a slightly different atmosphere whenever Harry and Bianca were together, but had never really thought about it much until now. Harry had only once mentioned to him that he found Bianca quite attractive, but was unsure if that was only because he was bonded to her. Tobius decided he'd try to find out as he approached the vampire. "You're worried, aren't you?"

Bianca gave a small snort, "Of course. You can't tell me _you_ aren't."

Tobius gave her a small nod. "You know what I meant."

"For a lycan, you certainly seem to be rather perceptive," she responded with a look of annoyance. "But in case you've forgotten, he _did_ save my life."

"Regardless, you seem to be a bit more on edge than the rest of us."

"You do understand what's at stake here, don't you?" she challenged, glaring at Tobius. "If he succeeds and brings Remus back, he'd have given Brard's pride a severe pounding. Vampires don't take too kindly to have the wool pulled over their eyes."

"I think there's more to it than that," Tobius insisted.

"Well, you'd be quite wrong in your assessment. While Harry is far nicer than any of the males I've met," here, she gave Tobius quite a disdainful sniff and inwardly smiled as he glared at her, "And always puts himself before others, which is very noble of him, he seems to lack the ability to relax. I can be like that when I want to be too, but give me the choice between having a friendly duel of words or wands; I'd take words any day."

"You're ignoring my question," Tobius kindly told her, earning himself another glare.

"You never _asked_ a question, but since lycans aren't as smart as vampires," Tobius growled a little at this, causing Bianca to grin, "I _suppose_ I'll humour you. There is nothing between Harry and I, apart from my general concern. Vampresses tend to be quite protective of the ones who save them. Now, if you don't mind, I have better things to do than waste my breath on a lycan." She turned on her heel and left, leaving a rather disgruntled Tobius behind.

* * *

Liana de Valle slowly blinked opened her eyes, trying in vain not to cry out in pain. She had been caught completely unawares when the school was attacked, and though she had quickly tried to organise a fight since she was the Defence Professor, it had been a futile effort. She thought she had been the only survivor until she found out about Gabrielle disappearance. Liana could only pray that her Headmistress was in a better position than the one she herself was in; a plaything.

Her once sparkling blue eyes were now dulled as she gave up all hope of rescue. Her long silvery blonde hair was now a matted tangle of strands, and her soft skin was covered in scratches and bruises, testimony to the rough treatment she had been given.

The door opened and in sauntered Remus with and two others. They all grinned maliciously at the sight of the once beautiful part-Veela tied to the bed; though, Liana wondered if she didn't see Remus snarl momentarily at the other two. Liana remembered the first time she had seen Remus here and had begged him to help her escape. It wasn't until Remus had begun to disrobe that she realised what happened at the school. Liana tried everything she could think; cursing in French, spitting on him, but she could do little against the enhanced strength of the werewolf.

In desperation, she had used her Veela charm, reasoning that perhaps she might be able to knock Remus out. It might have worked had the rituals Remus went through not provided him with increased stamina. Liana barely had time to register the fact that her clothes had been ripped off her before Remus moaned and thrusted into her causing her to cry out in pain as Remus pounded away, gripping her flesh hard enough to leave bruises.

And so it continued with the idea of escape being nothing more than a memory as she floated along on a haze of blood, sex, pain and laughter. Liana didn't react when all three quickly disrobed, but just as they were about to begin, a loud voice boomed throughout the room, "WE HAVE A CODE ONE ALERT, REPEAT, A CODE ONE ALERT! AN INTRUDER HAS PENETRATED THROUGH OUR DEFENCES! EVERYONE GET INTO POSITION!"

Remus and the others quickly threw on their robes, all grumbling about the poor timing of the announcement. Liana wondered briefly exactly who in their right mind would willingly enter the fortress before she smiled for the first time since she had been captured as the answer came to her as she recalled Gabrielle's speech a few months ago; Harry Potter had returned.

* * *

The Phantom landed softly in the grass some distance from the fortress, if their plans were accurate. Harry did a quick sweep of the area, confirming that his presence was, so far, undetected. He cast both disillusionment and silencing charms on himself before stealthily making his way towards freeing Remus.

He quickly thought of the phrase he had seen in the pensieve and a giant, hollowed out tree which led to the underground fortress shimmered into existence in front of him, just outside the perimeter of the charms he and Korbach set up. Harry had to admit feeling rather nervous knowing that it was more than likely that they had been noticed when they first set up but tried to put that out of his mind as he steeled himself and entered the tree.

Harry slowly made his way down the dark, narrow tunnel which obviously led to the main entrance. He dared not use any magic and so was rather surprised when he bumped into what was most likely a set of large doors after a few steps. Harry couldn't recall seeing this in John's memory, but his senses were put on high alert when the doors suddenly swung back, flooding the corridor with light which took Harry a little bit of time to get used to. 'I don't like the look of this,' he thought before taking a deep breath and stepping through the doors.

Just after congratulating himself on not setting off any alarms, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Harry slowly turned around and froze with what he saw; two vampires were standing behind him, both were leering over him. Despite all his previous experiences, Harry could only watch in horror as his disillusionment charm was countered. The last conscious thought he had before getting hit with two stunners was that he should have remembered to cast a spell that would have camouflaged his scent.


	24. Chapter 24 – The Only Way Out

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Now…what will happen now that Harry got caught?

Oh, and the next few chapters (not including this one) are all due to an incredible idea Mysti gave me.

And guess what? This chapter will be the last one I post for a while since I'm going on holiday! I do wonder what to expect when I get back _(grin)_

* * *

**Chapter 24 – The Only Way Out**

Harry was shoved into a room and quickly strapped into a chair. He looked around checking for any escape routes but the door he entered through was the only exit.

"Since you don't want to do this the easy way, perhaps some additional motivation is required. Bring in our latest addition!"

The two guards quickly exited, returning a few minutes later with two others. Harry gasped as he recognised both Brard and Remus. But his friend looked different; gone was the grey hair, replaced with the long light brown that Harry had seen in the portrait of Lily and the Marauders, his eyes were unfocussed, as if he was in a trance and not under his own control.

"What…what did you…you do to him?'!" he managed to ask.

"He is one of us now," Brard smugly replied, causing Harry's eyes to widen as he processed those words. "Now, either join us, or your _friend_ will have something to play with."

Harry shifted his gaze from Remus and levelled his glare at Brard. "I refuse to accept that Remus would do that. Not after everything he's been through!"

"Fine, have it your way. We shall be back to scrape your remains off the floor in an hour."

"Give me his wand!" Remus growled. Everyone looked at him in surprise but his request was granted. "I'm going to snap this in front of you," he paused to lean in close to Harry before adding, "Just before I kill you." Remus then pocketed it in his robe and raised his own wand.

"R…Remus? Merlin, what have they done to you?"

His friend then turned to Harry, who was very disturbed to see his face twist into a feral smile. "Crucio!"

Harry was caught off guard and screamed the moment the spell hit him. His guards and Brard all laughed before exiting the room with Harry's screams being cut off only when the door shut.

* * *

Harry tried to focus through the pain. Remus had put that curse on him at least three times in the last ten minutes. He waited only long enough for Harry to regain some normalcy with his breathing. Everything ached and he was quite sure several of his ribs were broken. He was soon brought back to reality when Remus threw several cutting hexes, slicing deep gashes on his face and arms. He then heard him launch a bludgeoning hex at him, the spell slamming into his shoulder. Harry moaned in agony as a loud 'pop' indicated it had been dislocated. 

Harry whimpered as he pleaded with his friend. "P…please! Remus, it's me! It's Harry. _Please_ stop! You're being controlled! You…you can break this! You're stronger than this!"

He was cut off when Remus hit him again with Crucio. He seemed to be enjoying hearing Harry's screams reverberate around the room.

"R…Rem...Remus! M…Moony?'!" he choked out through the spell.

Harry was rather surprised when he didn't feel any more pain. He very slowly lifted his badly bloodstained face and squinted through his cracked glasses. He saw Remus standing there, his eyes flickering between the dullness and their normal bright brown; he was trying to fight it.

In the mind of Remus, a fierce battle was taking place. The thrill of the torture and the scent of Harry's blood had fully awoken the wolf within and Remus' human, rational mind was tossed aside. But hearing his nickname had sparked the wizard into action. Slowly he felt the wolf struggle as he tried to hold the human back, and with good reason, because Remus wasn't impressed with what his darker side had done.

Harry had never called him Moony, something Remus well remembered asking him. He had shaken his head and smiled, saying that he, Remus, would think his reason to be silly, but Remus pressed him. Eventually Harry answered that it didn't feel right to call him that. Remus had scoffed at this, so Harry left him with a final statement: "My Dad, Sirius and Peter came up with that name for you, Remus, not me. I will never call you that as, in my eyes, it's an insult to the four of you. Please understand that." That event had taken place three years after Voldemort had been defeated and it had been the only time Remus had ever asked.

Harry called out again, wondering if hearing his old nickname had been the trigger. "M…Moony? It's me, Harry. The son of Prongs, one of your best friends," he croaked out, his throat feeling like someone had taken a wire scrubbing brush to it.

The enormity of what Harry had just said sunk into Remus' mind as he covered his ears, yelling "GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

He then roared, transforming as a deep yellow glow encompassed him and the cursed wolf within was forced out. Harry shut his eyes to block out the light's intensity and could hear Remus' ragged and harsh breathing shortly after. He slowly cracked open his eyes and found Remus on his knees panting furiously.

The last thing Harry remembered before blacking out due to his injuries was Remus looking up at him in horror and saying, "Sweet Merlin! What have I done?'!"

* * *

Harry slowly opened his eyes and immediately grimaced. 

"Don't move too much, Harry. You need to get back to Hogwarts."

"Remus, what…what happened to you? How were…were you able to break the trance?" Harry asked, his throat still very scratchy, as he recognised the voice.

Remus looked thoughtful before he spoke. "I'm not really sure. I guess it was the shock of hearing my nickname. I was trying to fight it and it felt like the wolf stumbled when he heard it again. That gave me enough time to get control."

"Wish I'd said it a bit sooner now," Harry said, a small smile on his face which soon turning into another grimace from the pain.

"Yes, well, I'm sorry about that," Remus replied as he lowered his head a little in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it. It doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would," Harry reassured him.

"That would be because I healed you a little. I'm kind of used to doing that," he somewhat sheepishly answered, referring to the numerous times he had been by himself the morning after his transformations.

"Oh, right then. Thanks."

"You shouldn't be thanking me, Harry. I nearly killed you…"

"But you didn't," Harry cut in. "We need to figure out how to get out of here."

Remus nodded and handed Harry his wand back. They both knew they couldn't apparate out, since the fortress had disapparition wards up, which even prevented the use of Harry's house elf Apparition technique. They also couldn't use Harry's watch since, in the rush of getting to the hideout, he had not put it on. Also, the fortress had been charmed to prohibit prisoners from using magic, which meant that only Remus could do spells since he was now 'one of them'. Harry allowed himself a small smile as an idea formed in his mind.

"Remus, how good are you on a broom?"

"A broom? Well, not that good," he admitted. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, we'll have to fight our way out, at least to the perimeter of the wards so we can apparate. I figure a faster moving target would be harder to hit."

"Smart thinking, only we don't have a broom."

"True, but you reckon you can transfigure that into one?" Harry answered gesturing to the chair, and a look of realisation came across Remus' face.

"I can do better than that," Remus duplicated the chair in two and a couple of flicks later, two brooms now lay where the chairs had been.

Now came the part Harry was a bit worried about; he had no idea what charms were needed to make a broom brake and steer, let alone the one to give it flight. Fortunately, Remus easily solved this problem.

"Wingardium Permiosa!"

Harry then watched as one broom slowly lifted off the ground and hovered a few feet above the floor. Remus cast a few more charms on it for better control whilst flying before duplicating everything onto the second broom.

"How did you know what charms to use?"

"Harry, I knew your father, remember?" he replied, a broad smile on his face as he did so.

"Oh right. Well, now we just need to get out of here," Harry mused.

"Give it a few minutes. They said they were coming back in an hour and that must have nearly passed," Remus replied. Harry nodded and they both mounted their brooms and waited for the guards to return.

A moment of silence passed before certain instincts took hold of the werewolf. "Oh my!" Remus suddenly exclaimed. "We have to save Liana!"

"Liana? Why?"

But Remus didn't hear him, he was too preoccupied with what he had done to the part-Veela. 'Bernadine...one never quite forgets their first love but...you're...dare I even think it? You're dead. Liana...I...her...oh dear.' He whimpered quietly.

"Remus, why, what's Liana doing here?" Harry demanded.

"She…was taken prisoner. Please, Harry, we _have_ to save her!"

"Of course we will," Harry declared. "Don't get so panicky…and stop whining! What's the matter with you?"

"Oh er...nothing," Remus muttered.

Harry watched his friend as he mumbled and glanced around. "Mhmm...that's a whole lot of _nothing_, Professor Lupin."

"Oh shut up!" Remus tried not to look at Harry.

"You're mated again aren't you?"

Remus grumbled. "I...might be..." He heaved a sigh as Harry all but fell off his broom laughing. "It's not funny, Harry!" he retorted. "It…it didn't happen...properly. Let's just go." He held on tightly to his own broom but then, a question came to him. "Er, you do know how to get out of here, right?"

"Remus, you're in another timeline and Bernadine is dead here. It's fine. You didn't cheat." Harry turned around and smiled. "Anyway, I was hoping you did. Oh, you'd better take this." He then handed Remus his wand, earning a blank stare. "What? I'm not going to be able to shoot spells, am I?"

"Right," Remus sighed. "And that's not what I meant about the mating thing. Never mind. Besides, I don't know how to use my left hand for spell work."

"Are you a Marauder or not?'! Improvise!"

Remus didn't have time to reply as the door opened. No sooner had it done so, the two guards were hit with stunners (Remus being totally shocked that he managed to cast accurately with both wands the first time) and a blur shot past them, streaking through the corridors of the fortress.

* * *

"Where is she?" Harry asked as they whipped around the corner. Remus only narrowed his eyes, growled and sped passed causing Harry to roll his eyes. "Do I detect a hint of jealousy here?" 

Remus growled again. "Just keep your hands where I can see them. She's mine, so...so there."

"I know that," Harry sighed. "Quit acting like an overprotective prat and get us there."

"Right," Remus gave up. "Sorry, still not myself I guess. The drugs and all." Harry merely nodded, trying not to snicker. Remus eventually found the right room and was soon by Liana's side. He looked over her, taking in the damage he had done. Remus sat down beside Liana though she was still unconscious and didn't notice.

Harry entered the room a few moments later. "Oh my...what happened to Liana?"

"Do you remember me telling you?" Remus sighed before going on. "It didn't happen properly."

Harry gaped like a fish as the reality sunk in. "Lupin how _could_ you?'!" he suddenly snapped.

Remus started at hearing his surname. "Please don't do that, Harry. I was forced. By those drugs they gave me. In a sense, we were both forced, just in different ways."

"Still," Harry glared. "I can't see how you could do this."

Remus sighed and leaned over to start untying the ropes that held the part-Veela, growling as the knots only became tighter. He glared at the ropes, tugging away but they held firm. He growled again.

Harry smacked himself on his forehead. "For Merlin's sake you stupid _wizard_!"

"Oh right," Remus mumbled, pulling out his wand.

"I should take her on my broom," Harry began.

"Why?" Remus asked as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the younger wizard.

"Because," Harry sighed, saying each word slowly and clearly. "I'm the better flier." That was his excuse; in reality, he didn't want Liana anywhere near Remus. Not until he got over the shock at least.

Remus mumbled under breath but gave in. He very begrudgingly let Harry carry an unconscious Liana on his broom since the younger wizard was indeed a better flier. This didn't stop him from looking over his shoulder when he got the chance just to make sure the other male wasn't doing anything to her, something which made Harry roll his eyes but smile lightly at the somewhat jealous expression of the werewolf. They were soon blasting their way out the main entrance, Remus shooting the spells and Harry following, using several well place Reductos with a myriad of spells close behind them. Harry then jerked his broom upwards rapidly gaining altitude so he could get his bearings and find out where he had parked his Phantom. The downside to this, of course, was that this gave the Midnight Order time to regroup and wait for the airborne wizards to make their next move.

"Well, now what do we do?" Harry asked. "It's quite clear that wherever we land, we're going to have a battle on our hands."

"Yes, maybe it's better if we leave here and forget your Phantom."

"Yeah, we might have to do that," Harry replied waiting for Remus' directions.

"Alright Harry, now I think the easiest way would be to…" Remus stopped at this point, growling as his head started to throb. Harry quickly turned around to ask what was wrong, but Remus answered it for him.

"Harry, listen to me. This…is their final…resort," he panted out, his face starting to strain with the effort of blocking out the pain. Remus then recalled one of the very first things the healer had told him; 'you won't be able to escape,' and Remus now knew what he meant.

"What resort? What's happening to you?"

"Silver…poison. You…you have my memories from here. I…I transferred them to you when…you were unconscious. Just…promise me, Harry."

"Promise you what, Remus?"

"Don't come after…me. Go to…to my house…everything will make..."

Remus didn't finish his sentence as his broom bucked him off and he fell, plummeting towards the ground leaving behind a stunned Harry. For all his flying ability, he knew there was no chance of catching up with him. Gripping his own broom tightly, Harry made one of the hardest choices he'd ever made as he pulled around and shot off into the distance.

He landed several miles away before apparating both Liana and himself to Remus' house, when the enormity of the situation finally caught up with him; he had gone to save Remus, but in the end it had been Remus who saved him. With a final cry of rage, Harry transformed, but with his injuries and his energy being as low as it was, all he managed to achieve was to collapse at the front door.


	25. Chapter 25 – The White Phoenix

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Alright, so I admit…I _do_ favour cliffies sometimes _(grin)_

Any comments regarding what I did shall be forwarded to the person who gave me the whole idea, lolol!

Sorry about the wait….for some reason, FFN doesn't like me trying to edit my chapters so it's a good thing this one has no section breaks _(rolls eyes)_

**Chapter 25 – The White Phoenix**

Harry slowly opened his eyes and immediately regretted it as an intense white light caused him to rapidly blink several times to adjust to it. When he did, he found himself lying on a bed in a round room that had no openings. He stood up and wondered what he where he was when a vaguely familiar voice from behind him spoke.

"So you are awake. I have been wondering when you would, Harry."

He whirled around and was greeted with a figure with a long white beard and half-moon glasses. "Pro…Albus? What happened? Why am I here?"

Albus conjured a table and beckoned Harry to sit down on the other side, which he duly did. "You overextended yourself. In managing to escape, coupled with the emotion of losing Remus and with all of your injuries, you exhausted yourself."

"I'm not dead this time, am I?"

Albus chuckled, "No, you are not. You should only be out for a few days or so in the real world. I need to speak with you. It's about your destiny."

"My destiny? What about it? I thought it was only to defeat Voldemort."

"Do you know why you pulled that particular sword from the hat in your second year?"

"You mean I…I'm the heir of Gryff…"

"No, you are not. Tom was the last descendant of any of the founders."

"But you told me that only a true Gryffindor could pull it from the hat."

"And you are. All of the Potters have been sorted into Gryffindor. I told you what I believed you needed to hear. You were having doubts about whether or not you were sorted correctly. I can tell you for a fact that the hat has never been wrong with any of its choices."

"Then why does everything happen to me?"

Albus sighed and his eyes lost their twinkle. "I know a little of how you are feeling, Harry. When I was a lad, everything appeared to happen to myself. Things only began to settle down after I had defeated Grindelwald. Unfortunately, Tom decided that he would take the place as the next Dark Lord and again everyone looked to me to defeat him."

"Why couldn't you? You said the prophecy was made only a short while before I was born, so there must have been plenty of time to stop him."

"There was, we tried several times. It was difficult, Harry. Tom was only just starting to come into his full power as a wizard, whereas I had passed my peak."

"Could you transform like I can?"

"No, I could not. I never found the correct trigger for that transformation."

"I just wish I could be normal."

"I am afraid that will never be the case, Harry."

"Why not?"

"Because it is your destiny. Every so often, a wizard or witch is born with tremendous power. You are such a person. Before you it was Tom, before Tom of course, it was myself. The list stretches on, Harry, for both light and dark."

"And this is the next darkness we face," Harry guessed.

"It would appear so. Until the next person of great power is born, it will be up to you to manage each threat."

"Me? But how will I know when the next one is born?"

"You will. It feels like a ripple in a pond. Something large enough to stir the normal magical levels. You are fortunate to still be young enough that your power will only grow as you mature."

"And when it fades?"

"It won't."

"But you said before that your power did fade."

"It did because I chose it to. I initially thought your father was the one destined to be my successor. As such, I began to let my own power slip. A mistake that I hope you do not repeat."

"What made you think it was my Dad?

"Your father was an incredibly gifted wizard. Contrary to what Severus believed, James was more confident than arrogant. He believed he could do anything."

"Then how did you know it wasn't him?"

"Initially I didn't," Albus conceded. "He and your mother both fought against Voldemort, and were able to come away with their lives. But when the prophecy was made and you were born, I realised then who the torch was to be passed to, but it was too late."

"Since you already thought he was the one," Harry guessed.

"Indeed. I was unable to defeat the new threat Voldemort posed. You could say that I was given my chance and could not make it work. It was time for a new saviour to emerge."

"And when will it end? The constant struggle between light and dark?"

"It never will. You managed to unite Hogwarts for the common good and have been given the chance to prevent this war when you go back to your own time. But darkness always lingers Harry, it never can be truly beaten. Just know that light breaks the darkness; it has no limits."

Harry pondered that information for a moment before he next spoke. "I don't see what I'm supposed to do though. I mean I wouldn't know where to start…"

"Nor did I, Harry. You will find your own way to do this, believe me. It will most likely be different from the way I did things."

"Why do you say that?"

"The only thing that mattered to me was the end result. You care too deeply for your friends to let anything happen to them and as such…"

"You let your friends die?" Harry cut in.

"Once. It was perhaps the hardest decision I have ever had to make."

"Why did you choose it then?"

"It is the way I am. It was during the early days against Grindelwald. We had all but lost a battle and were retreating. My friend had been severely injured and I was forced to leave him behind. You would most likely have tried to bring them back with you."

Harry could only nod in agreement. He had lost too much; his parents, Cedric, Sirius. He had promised himself to never let that happen again if he could prevent it. He didn't know whether or not he would be able to live with himself if any of his friends died; particularly if he could have prevented it from happening.

"What do you about white phoenixes?"

Albus' eyes twinkled at Harry's question. "More than most."

"What makes them so different from a normal phoenix then?"

"Apart from the obvious, of course," Dumbledore replied with a smile before continuing, "They are more powerful than a normal phoenix. For instance, the tears from a white phoenix work far more quickly and they can also lift heavier loads."

"That doesn't really sound much different than Fawkes then."

"Oh no, you are quite right Harry, it doesn't. However, what would you say if I told you that the Philosopher's Stone was made possible _only_ because of a white phoenix?" That certainly peaked Harry's interest, which Albus noted. "Indeed, what exactly do you know about the stone?"

"Only that it can grant someone immortality and an endless amount of gold," Harry replied.

"And what about its creator, Nicholas?"

"Arguably the most famous Alchemist in our history because he made the only successful stone."

"He was also quite the enchanter. White phoenix tears were the key part of the stone. Due to their immense healing properties, Nicholas decided that by enchanting them, one would basically be immortal as nothing could physically harm you." Albus then gave Harry a smile. "I was rather keen to show Fawkes off to him, so Nicholas decided to ruin my day by telling me stories of the white phoenix he knew when he was studying Alchemy after his time at Hogwarts was over. Needless to say, I felt a bit…"

"Deflated?" Harry politely suggested, causing the former Headmaster to chuckle.

"I guess that is one word to describe it. Though Fawkes wasn't impressed either, so he lifted Nicholas into the air and dropped him before pecking him mercilessly until Nicholas told him how beautiful he was."

Harry could only laugh at that before asking if Albus knew where he could find a white phoenix or a Pegasus. The old wizard's eyes lost their twinkle as he sadly shook his head.

"I am afraid that Nicholas was the last person I have heard to have met a white phoenix. As for the Pegasus," Albus sighed at this point before continuing, "Not much is known about them, Harry. I do know that they are the opposite of thestrals, so only one who is pure of heart will ever see a Pegasus. This is why everyone assumes they are extinct."

"But surely you would've seen…"

"I killed Grindelwald, Harry," he interrupted, "Therefore my heart was not perfectly clean. Why do you require a Pegasus?"

"I'm crafting my own wand and it needs a tail hair and a white feather for its core," he replied, "But since I destroyed Voldemort…"

"I cannot help you with the feather but you also require a Pegasus hair?" Albus cut in and Harry nodded. "That makes things simpler then. What I am about to tell you Harry, only one other person knows." Harry leaned in closer, eager to hear what Albus had to say. "The core of my wand was the tail hair of a Pegasus. You should be able to use that, but you shall need to find my wand and get a wandmaker to extract it for you."

"Well that should be reasonably easy since I still have your wand from when Voldemort killed you. Would Ollivander be able to get the core?"

"He would, but it will be a very difficult process, Harry. You see, while creating a wand is rather simple to one who knows what they are doing, deconstructing one is a far more difficult task. There is only a short amount of time you will have to transfer over the core to a new wand before it loses all of its power."

"So I should take it to Ollivander before I finish it then," Harry said and Albus nodded in agreement. "Would he know about a white phoenix feather?"

"I do not think so, Harry," Dumbledore replied, "I am unaware of any witch or wizard who has such a core in their wands. Every year I was Headmaster, I received the list of first year students as well as details to what their wand core contained. Something as rare as a white phoenix tail feather I would like to think I'd make a note of the student who had it."

Harry nodded dejectedly as he saw possibly his last hope of finishing his new wand slip away. They briefly discussed the main differences between the wars of Grindelwald, Voldemort and Brard and how each of them was started for different reasons. But Albus did agree with Harry that this current war had all but brought together the Magical and Muggle worlds. Brard was very close to ripping down those carefully placed barriers and exposing their world for all to see.

Just before Harry departed for the conscious world again, Albus tried to console him about what happened to Remus reasoning that sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.


	26. Chapter 26 – The Fourth Dimension

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

There we go, now you have a better idea of my interpretation of a white phoenix. Oh, and you should have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen…after all, I think I've dropped more than enough hints about it for you guys to figure it out! _(grin)_

Um, sorry about not updating for a while. The problem is that I only have this and the next chapter written so I was trying to wait a bit and see if I could write more for the fic…didn't work I'm afraid. So yeah, while this (and the last) chapter haven't been beta-ed, I thought I should update so you guys know I'm still alive, lol.

* * *

**Chapter 26 – The Fourth Dimension**

Harry thought he was still dreaming when he heard a familiar voice calling to him. "Please wake up, Harry, I know you must soon!"

"R…Rem…Remus?" he croaked out, slowly blinking open his eyes.

"Yes, now can you tell me where it hurts?"

"Everywhere," Harry conceded. "Am I dead?"

He heard Remus laugh before answering, "Merlin no, just shaken up. Now try not to move while I heal you."

"But I saw you…you fell, there was no way _anyone_ could survive that!"

"Yes well, let's save that story for later. Here, drink this."

Harry accepted the goblet without question and drank its contents falling blissfully into sleep once again.

* * *

Harry awoke sometime later feeling much better. He eased his way out of bed and slowly walked downstairs and into the living room where he found Remus standing up staring into the fire. 

He was about to speak up but Remus did instead, "Liana is still unconscious but I suppose you want an explanation to how I'm here." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Remus then sighed before facing Harry. "I know this sounds like a silly thing to ask but can you transfer my memories back?"

"But what about…"

"Please Harry, it will be easier to explain it once I know the same things I used to."

Harry looked confused but cast the spell on Remus, transferring the memories from the imprisonment back to its 'rightful' owner. A silence fell between them as he watched Remus close his eyes, allowing himself to absorb the new, yet old information. After he had finished Remus then sat down, gesturing for Harry to do the same.

He waited until Harry was seated before he sighed again finally beginning to tell Harry what he wanted to know. "Do you remember the day of the attack when I got captured and how I said I didn't feel like myself that morning?" Harry nodded and Remus continued, "You're seeing the result in front of you. I didn't fully understand it until recently."

"Understand what?" Harry asked when Remus didn't elaborate.

"What do you know about the Duplication charm and what happens if you cast it on a person?"

Harry furrowed his brow, "That depends on which version you use. You can cast it so that it evenly splits your magical energy…" he trailed off as he realised what must have happened. "You cast it on yourself! _That's_ why you didn't feel right!"

Remus gave him a smile. "Almost correct. The spell was cast _on_ me but not _by_ me. What got killed was my double."

"Then who…?"

"You did," Remus cut in.

"Me?'! How? _When_?'!"

Remus then withdrew a small vial containing a deep blue liquid.

"Is that…"

"The potion that Draco discovered was missing? Why yes, yes it is," he interrupted with a smile.

"Then does that mean…" Harry didn't get to finish as he slumped to the ground, the result of a spell from a person standing at the living room entrance.

"What did you do _that_ for?'!" Remus demanded.

The new man shrugged, "I don't know, perhaps it was because I know this happened. After all, he's only got an hour or so before he needs to go back to make sure all this happens. It's easier to just transfer my knowledge to him, that way no small detail will be missed."

"But how will you know he won't try to change anything?"

The man pulled out a small bottle containing a gold liquid. "He'll have a nice shot of Felix Felicis here to light his path," he then grinned, his eyes twinkling a vibrant green, "And because I didn't when I went back."

Remus revived the other Harry and the two of them quickly went over everything that Harry had to do to make sure the past went exactly like it had.

"Now, are you absolutely sure that you…"

"Yes, Remus, I know what I'm supposed to do," Harry cut in, shooting his friend a glare.

"Well, I just want to make sure. Remember, you only…"

"Get one shot at this. I _know_ Remus, so stop worrying, ok?"

Remus sighed before nodding. Harry raised the vial of blue liquid to his lips but just before he drank, he gave Remus a broad smile. "It's good to have you back."

Remus returned his smile and watched as Harry blinked out of existence.

* * *

Harry came to on the floor in Remus' house rubbing his head. He then drew his wand to check if he had landed in the right time. After confirming this he then went over what he had to do. It was just after seven at night, which gave him just over a full day to duplicate Remus and nick the potions from Draco's stock. 

He pulled out the little bottle of Felix Felicis, 'Well, here goes nothing,' he thought before gulping down its contents. Harry could do nothing to stop a smile form as a supreme calmness spread throughout his whole body. Suddenly, the whole process all fell into place, and he somehow just knew that everything would go exactly as planned.

Harry thought he would be going to Hogwarts first but something told him that Marauder's Mansion was the place to be right now. A flash of orange later and he was on the streets of Godric's Hollow. He casually strolled up to the door and knocked, waiting for Winky to answer (as he knew she would).

"Harry Potter sir is visiting Winky in the middle of the night! Harry Potter is a great wizard!"

"How's everything going, Winky?"

"Very good, Harry sir. Why are you visiting?"

"Well I…," Felix gave Harry a nice little nudge, "I thought I'd come by and celebrate your birthday if you don't mind."

Winky's face lit up with a smile and she clapped her hands together in excitement.

"Shh Winky, I'd like to keep this visit just between us two, ok? I don't want Dobby to know I was here. It can be our little secret."

'Of course,' Harry thought. 'I'm here so I can get everything out of here before the mansion gets destroyed.'

Winky nodded her head and she ushered Harry into the kitchen where she grabbed a couple of butterbeers out of the fridge. They made small talk over the next two hours, before Harry noticed that Winky was starting to feel the effects of the drinks (as he expected), so he suggested she go to bed and that he'd clean up. Winky didn't even put up a fight, so Harry knew she was drunk and he smiled as he watched the tiny elf make her way unsteadily towards her room.

Harry waited for another few minutes before springing into action. Again, Felix gave him the excellent idea of duplicating himself to make the process of copying everything easier. After three hours with four duplicates, every portrait, piece of furniture, and knick-knack from the mantelpiece had been shrunk and placed into Harry's old school trunk (which he'd found in his room, right where he knew it would be).

The next part was where things became a little more tricky; where to put it all? He knew from being there, that it wasn't at Remus' place when he glanced upon the copied clock on the mantelpiece (which had been the only thing Harry didn't replicate since he didn't see the point). He was reminded of the Weasley clock and knew then that the empty Burrow would be a most wonderful place to house it all. He dumped the trunk there, reasoning he could set the place up later, before preparing for the hardest part of his mission; duplicating Remus and convincing him to do exactly what he, Harry, tells him to.

* * *

Harry landed in the middle of the empty Great Hall just as he wanted. After considering his choices he opted to get the potions from Draco first before going to get Remus. He didn't bother apparating as he knew no one would be up at this time of night. He strutted through the halls, a large smile on his face as he wondered what Severus would say if he saw him doing this, and came to a halt outside Draco's quarters. 

Harry was able to enter into Draco's private storeroom easily as he told Harry the password in over a weeks time. He paused on that thought, wondering exactly why it made no sense and perfect sense at the same time before shaking his head, trying to focus on his task. This was made simpler because Harry still had the empty vials with him, so he could easily identify the intricate details of the bottles he was required to take with him, knowing that he himself wouldn't be the one taking it.

After a quick check on his one-time school foe, making sure he was still asleep, Harry then prepared himself for the final part of 'operation saving Remus'. Just before he left Draco's quarters, he copied the list detailing how to create the time travel potion. Again, he chose to walk the halls of the school and soon found himself outside the portrait leading into his and Remus' quarters. Harry took a few moments to consider exactly how best to approach this, but Felix was urging him that right now wasn't the time to think about such things, so he took a deep breath and whispered the password.

He looked around the familiar surroundings, spotting the fact that Remus' door was slightly ajar. It was then that he remembered how tired Remus looked in the morning and he noticed the empty glass alongside his bed. Harry grinned before silently summoning the glass and pouring a water and firewhiskey mix (after getting rid of the odour and taste…it wouldn't do any good for Remus to know what he was drinking now would it?).

After levitating the glass back into position, Harry then slowly raised the temperature in the room, until he heard Remus grunt, pulling himself up and skulling the (what he thought was) water before flopping down to sleep again. It couldn't have been more than a few minutes later when Harry heard the telltale sound of snores, indicating that this would _not_ be one of those nights that his friend would wake up at the sound of, say, his door creaking open. It was also a stroke of luck that Remus wasn't wrapped up in his sheets and Harry was able to easily remove them so he could cast the duplication charm.

Harry watched as another Remus appeared out of thin air. He would have crashed into the real Remus, but a quick hovering charm solved this. After gently laying the double on the floor he then went over to the real wizard before levitating him outside and onto the lounge. Then it was a simple matter of moving the duplicate onto the bed and replacing the sheets. Once this was done Harry went out to the living room, grabbed his friend's arm and vanished back to Remus' house thinking how easily it had all been and why no one suspected that this is what had happened.

* * *

Remus woke up having had a most peculiar dream. However, the throbbing pain in his temples indicated that he hadn't really been dreaming at all. "Ooooh, my head," he groaned, hauling himself out of bed. He was therefore quite taken aback when a sobering charm hit him and he realised that he was no longer at Hogwarts. 

"H…Harry? What's going on? Why are we here?"

"Long story, Remus. Let me ask you something; do you trust me?"

"Of course," he instantly replied, wondering why Harry even bothered asking a silly question such as that.

"Good, then I ask you to trust me now. Things are about to happen that we can't change, and I need you to swear to me that you'll do everything I tell you to, no matter how stupid it might sound."

Remus was rather confused, but nodded anyway.

"I said to swear it to me," Harry said, a look in his eye that suggested he was willing to fight over this.

"I Remus Lupin, swear on my magic as a wizard, to do as you, Harry Potter, tells me to until such a time as you deem my task complete."

As Remus finished his pledge, a faint silver glow surrounding both he and Harry, locking in the promise. Harry relaxed knowing now that in two weeks time he'd be able to release Remus from his promise, but first there was the small matter of suppressing their energy (since he knew that the Harry in this time couldn't find Remus). And after that...well, there were always those items at the Burrow that needed unpacking.


	27. Chapter 27 – The Truth Can Be Painful

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Alrighty, so here's the second part about Harry reliving those two weeks again. Sorry for not updating for a while but this is the last full chapter I have written and I was kind of hoping to delay posting it in a vain attempt that I would have some more chapters after this…so I have no idea when the next update will be, sorry about that.

Edited due to my beta being a silly goose and jumping ahead with an aspect she came up with in the first place, lol!

* * *

**Chapter 27 – The Truth Can Be Painful**

A few days went past, with Remus slowly getting used to Harry's strange requests. First came the pledge to do as he said, which was followed by Harry demanding the both of them to conceal their magical energy so no one could find them. He was astounded to find that all of the furniture and portraits from Marauder's Mansion was at the Burrow, but Harry refused to tell him why.

Then, he badgered Remus endlessly about what silver does to werewolves, again refusing to answer his question about why he wanted to know. Remus was somewhat relieved when Harry gave him a day off from doing anything of what Harry said was 'of great importance', and the two of them spent the day playing chess and exploding snap. He wasn't as shocked as he probably should have been when Harry informed him that he was from the future and everything he was doing was keeping the timeline intact. Ironically enough, it was today that Remus felt the most tired and had fallen asleep the instant his head hit the pillow, though Harry quickly dented Remus' hopes of a peaceful slumber.

"Remus, wake up!"

The older wizard let out a groan and stuck his pillow over his head to block out Harry's voice.

"If you don't wake up right now, I'll use evanesco on all your chocolate."

That did the trick as Remus' eyes shot open and he sat bolt upright, noticing that Harry was standing next to his bed with a large grin on his face.

"This had better be worth it, Harry, I was having the most wonderful dream."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You need to call Fawkes here straight away and tell him to go to Beauxbatons to transport Gabrielle, and _only_ Gabrielle, to Hogwarts."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't, you'll stuff up the timeline."

"I hate it when you use that excuse," Remus scowled, "Why can't you ever give me a _normal_ answer?"

"This is the Wizarding world, Remus, there is no such thing as _normal_," Harry replied with a smile.

Remus gave him a yawn in response, before doing as he asked. Fawkes appeared in a fireball, while Remus told him to do exactly what Harry said. Harry finished off by telling Fawkes not to find them again, as their location needed to remain a secret. The phoenix shrilled its affirmative, before vanishing once more to do what they requested of him.

"Now tell me why I did that?"

"I'll do even better than that, Remus," Harry said with a sad smile on his face. "I'll show you tomorrow."

* * *

Remus lay in his bed wide awake, knowing there wasn't anything he could do to go to sleep. True to his word, Harry had taken Remus out that afternoon. The devastation of what greeted his sight was almost unbearable. The area was virtually empty of people (most of which had been there earlier in the day, which was why Harry chose now to visit), and the two of them were free to walk around the location where Beauxbatons once stood. 

Harry had seen it before of course, but was just as stunned this time around, while Remus was struggling to believe that someone could do such a thing. He had eventually asked why Brard would do such a thing and Harry's face filled with sorrow and pain as he shook his head and answered with four words; "Brard didn't…you did."

Remus had sunk to his knees at that, his body shaking. No matter how hard he wanted to believe Harry was joking, one look at his eyes told him that he was telling the truth. Harry then told him what had happened at Hogsmeade and that this was the result of Brard's ruthlessness. Just as Remus wondered if things could get any worse, Harry then asked if he was ready to go and see the ruins of the Mansion along with Dobby and his family.

That had been more than he could take and Remus broke down, tears running freely down his face. Harry wanted desperately to help his friend, to comfort him and say that everything would work out fine, but he knew this was one demon that Remus had to face alone.

He finally lifted his head, tear marks staining his face, and whispered in a voice that Harry strained to hear. "Why?"

"Because you're one of them, at least, your other self is. While I know what they did to you, I don't know exactly how it affects you."

Remus waited for Harry to continue, which he did after a sigh. "It's not very pretty, Remus, they basically tortured you. You'll know soon enough what exactly happened, but they injected you with several potions which, when combined with each other, acted like the Imperius curse. All I know is that while you knew everything you were doing, you enjoyed it because your wolf was the one in control."

He looked over at Remus who had closed his eyes and was breathing deeply, doing his best to deal with the fact that it was he who had done the damage he was now seeing.

"You could have stopped this," he suddenly said, snapping his eyes open and looking at Harry with something akin to betrayal. "You only said for Fawkes to get Gabrielle. Dammit Harry, we did _nothing_ yesterday when we could saved _everyone_!"

"And what would that have gained us, Remus?" Harry calmly asked. "This had to happen otherwise we never would have been able to find you. You left the same message at both places; 'remember my name'. It was Gabrielle who thought of using John and without that, we never would have figured out how to get you back."

A long silence then followed as Harry's information sunk in. Remus then got a determined look on his face and said that he wanted to see the Mansion, even though he knew it would only add to his pain despite knowing that Harry had copied everything from it and put it at the Burrow. Harry bowed to his wishes, but to Remus' credit, he didn't shed any more tears…after all, it was for this very reason why Harry and Remus were going back after the war was over.

Remus blinked, finding himself back in the comfort of his bed. He sighed, shaking his head of these thoughts, before getting up and going outside, leaning against the balcony handrail. The night sky was brilliantly clear, conflicting greatly with the storm that was brewing inside the wizard. He growled, clenched his fists, and vowed that he _would_ make sure Brard paid for doing this to him.

* * *

"Come on, up you get, Remus. We're going for a little trip today." 

"You know you've made your point already, Harry. There's no need to show me what my other self has done," he replied, trying to squeeze out a few minutes extra sleep.

"Oh no you don't!" he heard, before feeling the sheets being ripped off his bed. Remus glared, wondering why Harry was so energetic today.

"Fine, what city did I destroy this time?"

Harry actually laughed, "It's nothing like that," he assured him. "We're going to the Spirit Room and getting some serious training in. After all, you're about to lose half your power, and neither of us can fully transform since we both slacked off after Voldemort was gone."

Remus grumbled something that Harry didn't quite catch, but sounded a little like "no respect for their elders," so Harry decided to play his trump card.

He sighed and looked at Remus in sorrow. "I'm sorry, Remus. If I knew you didn't want to train to help me beat Brard, then I never would have…"

He didn't get to finish as Remus shot out of his bed, a look of steely determination on his face. "When do we leave?"

* * *

"You mean you forgot about _that_?'!" 

"Er, well, it never occurred to me before," Harry sheepishly admitted.

"Oh really," he scoffed, "Because here I thought that you knew _exactly_ what you were doing!"

"For the most part I do, but I…"

"Forget it, Harry. Let's just concentrate on how we're going to do this," Remus cut in, still glaring daggers at Harry.

They had been sparring, with Harry winning quite comfortably considering that he had double the energy of Remus, when Remus asked how he was planning on keeping him, Remus, alive. For the downside of using the duplication spell was that should one of your counterparts get killed, so would the others. This left them with almost eleven months to find some way to ensure that Remus stayed alive after his double had been eliminated by Brard during their escape.

Harry hadn't had any reason to do much research on the spell before and was paying for it dearly now, even though he knew everything worked out in the end since Remus was there when Harry woke up after his magical exhaustion. While the charm duplicated anything perfectly, all the copies still maintained a link with the original object which, for a person, meant that the easiest thing to link to was your soul. So while there were officially two Remus', there was only one soul which they shared. That was the sticking point of the charm; it was great if you wanted to copy things like portraits, but it became much more deadly when using it on living creatures.

A further six months passed when they stumbled upon a potential answer. Remus had jokingly said that, given the choice, he'd rather be kissed by a Dementor than be killed like what was going to happen, when Harry's eyes widened and a smile played on his face.

"That's it!"

"Er, what is?"

Harry turned his attention to the bookcase, which decreased dramatically in size as Harry changed its topic. Remus ducked as Harry tossed a book in his direction, a look on his face which resembled a mad scientist. It was therefore a rather cautious Remus who carefully bent down to retrieve the book, dropping it sharply as he read the title of it.

"Oh no, there is no way I'm going to do that!"

"But Remus…"

"But nothing, Harry. While I appreciate your help in the matter, not even _I_ am desperate enough to do something as insane as this."

"Would you consider it if we can't find anything else?"

Remus glared, curling his hands into fists as he ran through as many options as he could think of. He finally looked up at Harry and sighed. "Fine. If we can't find any other leads by the time our year is up, I will consider this idea. But I think we'll need some additional help if this is the only way."

Harry agreed and willed the bookcase to change topics again. Remus watched as the book on his lap vanished, though the title of it would remain with him forever; 'So, You're About To Receive The Dementors Kiss?'


	28. Chapter 28 – Annihilatius Corum

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

If you're good, you might have already figured out how they're going to get out of this!

Again, I have no idea when the next update will be…though I _can_ tell you that my inspiration seems to be coming back so maybe, just _maybe_ they will start to be more frequent...but don't quote me on that, lol

Before I forget (which I do quite often, lol) those of you who have read Dormant Power might recall a comment Trent made about silver not affecting him anymore…ordinarily yes, it wouldn't. However, Brard awakened the wolf within so that is what I was trying to get at with that, ok?

Oh and a small bit from the previous chapter has been taken and put into this one…if that makes sense, lol. We (my beta and I) found a plothole in it so it goes here where it should have in the first place _(sheepish smile)_

Finally, I am not going along with the general consensus that vampires are immortal…if it were that easy then Voldemort would have gotten one to bite him or something. I just think that they live for a much longer time…so yeah, don't tell me I'm wrong since I'm not following the 'norm'.

* * *

**Chapter 28 – Annihilatius Corum**

"You're certain that this will work?"

"Absolutely no idea," Harry admitted, "but I _do_ know there's only two ways a Dementor can be created and this is our best option."

Harry knew more about Dementors than anyone else due to his being their master. In the decade he before coming to the future, he had found out several things previously unknown about the dark creatures, with the most obvious being their telepathy. He knew that the only ways a Dementor could come into being were either by division (which was their 'natural' method) or if one cast the Dementor charm on themselves.

Harry had also found out that, contrary to what the Wizarding world believed, Dementors were able to give souls back, though the process was incredibly painful and nearly always killed the recipient. Harry had only found this fact out when he had asked whether or not souls take up 'space' inside them. He had been informed that Dementors can release souls, which then take the form of an additional Dementor in a shroud of mist, which is how they breed.

It was that fact that led Harry to wonder if you could get your soul back provided you had the right body. None of the Dementors knew, but the eldest thought it might be theoretically possible if it was the only soul that had been taken. The reasoning was that while in a true Dementor (not one bred from the division, but had cast the charm) the 'original' soul from the wizard or witch was destroyed, it might be possible to transfer the very first soul they absorb into a body.

Harry had also found out that once a Dementor performs its kiss, that soul is no longer part of its victim and will therefore be kept 'alive' for as long as the Dementor lives. This basically meant that while your body would eventually die, your soul never would since Dementors were immortal…at least, until the creation of Harry's Reducio charm.

It was that reason which had given Harry the idea of finding a Dementor who would be capable of performing the task. Unfortunately for Remus, Harry knew that search would be futile as every 'true' Dementor had taken more than one soul. This then led to the two wizards spending a further two years in the Spirit Room trying to determine how to reverse the Dementor charm. None of them had considered how they would be able to test their solution until after they had finished.

The spell was ridiculously complex, even when compared to the Patronus charm. Harry remembered how it had taken Remus, Filius and himself just on six months to redesign the Patronus charm to destroy Dementors instead of just driving them away. However the Dementor charm proved far more difficult with the main problem being how one could keep their soul when the spell was cast. Nothing Harry or Remus did could emulate what Voldemort had been able to do and it was Remus who tentatively suggested that he duplicate himself so the Dementor would have a soul to take.

Harry reminded Remus that if he did that then he was putting all his faith in being able to correctly transfer his soul back from the Dementor into his body which was notoriously difficult. Remus argued that since he was going to turn into a Dementor that he had more chance of being able to successfully transfer his, he would be effectively transferring his soul back into himself, something that Harry had eventually agreed with.

Remus had looked absolutely horrified when Harry announced that since Remus was a Marauder that he'd have no problem if they just did the spell straight away. Harry was unable to inform Remus that he was joking for over ten minutes and once he did, Remus had then used some rather nasty hexes on the young wizard.

Finally, though very reluctantly, Remus steeled himself for the inevitable. After a quick duplication charm so that the new Dementor would be able to have (at least, a piece of) Remus' soul, protecting it from his soon-to-be death from the Midnight Order, he was ready. The older wizard looked at Harry with a steely determination in his eyes and they both nodded at each other before Remus raised his wand. He began chanting softly in Egyptian and slowly but surely, Remus was enveloped by a horrible black mist as a cold breeze washed over Harry. The mist started swirling, slowly at first before picking up speed, Harry likening it to a tornado with Remus being at the centre.

But inside the fog it was calm with only a gentle breeze blowing Remus' hair as he came upon the final part of the charm. He snapped his eyes open and bellowed, "Annihilatius Corum!"

Harry watched as the wind intensified, causing him to cast a few charms on himself to keep his balance. He wasn't sure how long the process lasted, but the wind finally slowed down with the thick cloud remaining. Just as Harry was wondering if everything had worked (he had conveniently left out the fact that a wrongly cast spell would be fatal), a tall black cloaked figure glided through the mist and Harry could only smile when he heard a scratchy voice inside his head say, 'This is a most curious sensation, Harry.'

"I'd imagine it would be, Remus." he replied with a roll of his eyes. "You do realise that you'll have to stay like that for the rest of our time here right?"

Remus nodded once before deciding to glide around and test out his new, albeit temporary, body. He also switched on his defences which the younger wizard didn't appreciate and despite Remus telling him that he only did it to see what it felt like, Harry got the impression it was Remus' way of getting him back for this whole ordeal.

* * *

'Are you sure that this is all I have to do, Harry?' 

"Yes, yes, I'm sure, Remus. I have seen this done before."

Of course Harry didn't say that he had only seen the soul reversal process the one time and it had been a complete failure (due to that Dementor having taken more than just the one soul in the first place…Harry blamed Azkaban for that) but he knew it must work out since Remus was alive when he was about to go back in time…at least, that's what Harry was telling himself. The key to the process was all in the timing, or so Harry had been told when he asked the Dementors about it. It was easier to transfer a 'fresh' soul back into a body than one that had been taken for some time. It was for this reason alone why they had been so few successful transfers in history; trying to get the right soul with the right person.

Remus had sucked the soul out of his counterpart earlier in the day and both Harry and he were waiting for the right moment; namely when they could no longer feel the presence of the 'evil-Remus'. The plan was to have the Dementor-Remus contact his 'twin' to remind Harry that he had to come here for the whole time-travel situation to play out the way it should. Harry concentrated until he could feel the power of his other self diminishing, giving him reason to believe that this was Remus torturing him and that they still had a couple of hours to wait.

The only sound was the ticking of the clock on the mantelpiece as both wizard and Dementor were lost in their thoughts, hoping and praying that everything would work out fine. Eventually, Harry snapped his head up and nodded at Remus who sent out the message to his other self. Time seemed to crawl by as they waited until finally the energy signal of the other Remus was no more.

Harry watched in morbid fascination as the Dementor glided over to where the currently soulless Remus was lying on the makeshift bed they had set up in the living room. He silently laughed as the Dementor commented how strange it was to be kissing oneself for the second time in the space of half a day. A soft white light emanated from the bed as the process was being completed and Harry heard a gasp before Remus shot up off the bed, causing the Dementor to fall over. Both then looked to Harry who had burst out laughing at the sight and when he explained it, quickly sobered up as the room dropped in temperature as Remus used his Dementor power to show Harry that it wasn't nice to laugh at such a sight while the other Remus just glared.

Harry politely coughed before asking if everything went as planned and after getting the nod from both Remus', Harry then got rid of the Dementor with his Reducio charm.

"I still say that was the weirdest thing I've ever done," Remus said after they had gone outside and collected up the exhausted Harry and unconscious Liana. Harry could only nod in agreement.

* * *

"When will Liana wake up?" Remus suddenly asked making Harry sigh. 

"We'll…deal with that later shall we?"

"But…" he began before being cut off.

"Handle it yourself tonight for Merlin's sake!" Harry snapped ending the conversation then and there.

"So today's the day?" Remus asked after a short silence as he tried to take his mind off Liana.

"Yeah it is." Harry replied before glaring at Remus. "And not THAT day either, _Lupin_. We go back to Hogwarts today." He knew Remus was really thinking when he would be able to rejoin his time-warped mate, but still, that darn wolf was getting annoying...acting like a love-struck teenager.

"You look a little edgy I must say."

"I guess I am kind of worried about everyone's reaction to when we tell them what happened."

"This so-called reaction wouldn't be mainly from a certain vampress now would it?"

Harry winced. "She _did_ hit Tobius rather hard."

"Yes, that's true, but I'm nearly certain that she'll go easy on you."

"How do you figure that?"

"Because of the bond the two of you share."

"So you're saying she won't hit me because I saved her life?"

"Oh no, I said nothing of the sort. She'll hit you, just not as hard."

Harry let out a groan, glaring at Remus who had a broad smile on his face. It vanished as he suddenly became serious. "Harry, how much do you know about the bond?"

Harry shrugged. "Not a lot. Why?"

"You aren't the first wizard in history to have such a bond. In fact, well, if we were still in our time, you would have been the one hundred and seventy-eighth case."

Harry's interest was peaked and he sat up a little straighter in his chair as Remus continued. "Of those one seventy-seven, one hundred and forty-three ended up married, while thirty-three perished during times of war."

"So you're saying that I'm going to…you're joking right? You've seen how she is, she doesn't trust anyone…"

"Except _you_," Remus cut in, "She told _you_ about Brard. If she needs help, _you're_ the one she goes to. Despite what you think, Harry, she does like you."

"What about the other case?" Harry asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"Well, you must know about the fact that vampires and werewolves tend to live a bit longer than normal wizards and witches."

Harry gave an amused chuckle at that. It was quite conceivable that Bianca would see the turn of the millennium. It was also quite conceivable that Remus was sidestepping Harry's question.

"Then you must understand some of the basics. You see, while a true vampire or werewolf can live for well over a thousand years, one who is turned does not. I myself could have seen my four hundredth birthday."

"What do you mean 'could have'?"

"That's the thing, Harry. You see that all changes with mating. During the…er, first night, shall we say," here Remus blushed slightly with Harry soon following suit as he understand what Remus meant, "Vampires and werewolves lose their long life."

"Is that why it's said that werewolves mate for life?"

Remus nodded, "Vampires too. Once our mate dies, we generally lose all desire to live."

"You haven't."

"No, but we both know why," he replied and Harry nodded. Since they were going back, Remus still had Bernadine to live for.

"The other case was the very first case which happened during the time of Merlin. It's the reason why vampires and werewolves don't get along. Have you read Romeo and Juliet?"

Harry nodded as Remus continued, "That will make things easier. Imagine that Romeo was a werewolf and Juliet was a vampress then. I think you'll get the picture."

"But it wasn't their families though, was it."

"No, it was the packs or tribes. They didn't approve of the situation, so on the day of the wedding they had them murdered. I guess that's a little different to Romeo and Juliet, but it did end in tragedy since that day heralded the very first war between our two races."

Remus was about to continue but the sound of Harry's watch beeping signalled that it was nearly time to send the other Harry back in time. He slipped into the next room and watched carefully as his 'younger' self made his entrance. Harry had to admit it was rather strange to stun yourself but since that's what happened that's what he had to do.

Finally he watched as the other Harry blinked out of existence before walking back in and grinned at Remus. "Told you he wouldn't punch you." he said as Remus gave him an apologetic smile, "We'll go back tonight, but I want to go pickup my Phantom first."

Remus nodded and after both agreed to meet up at Hogwarts, Harry vanished in a flash of orange oblivious to the fact that he was about to have journey most wizards could only dream of.


	29. Chapter 29 – When Two Worlds Collide

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

What's going to happen to Harry…you'll have to read to find out, lol! Never fear though, it only takes up this one chapter as my imagination lacks quite a lot…along with my history lessons.

Er, my sincere apologies for getting your hopes up with me being over my writers block…that didn't happen and then work decided to pick up a helluva lot so I haven't really had a lot of spare time to work on any fics…coupled with my lack of motivation. I _will_ finish the fics though, I promise!

I hope everyone has had/is having an enjoyable break. It would seem that I was on the 'naughty' list this year…either that or he knew that what I wanted would've put me on that list for this year, LOL!

Oooo, and a joint post with my beta who is updating her fic at the same time as me, lol

* * *

**Chapter 29 – When Two Worlds Collide**

"Ruddy hell! That was close!" Harry said out loud as he stepped from his Phantom. "Pity I didn't end up where I was intending though."

His detour to Transylvania hadn't been without incident. Granted he had gotten his Phantom back and he was alive but it had been a touch too close for comfort. Even though Harry made sure he camouflaged his scent so he wouldn't be picked up, the vampires had increased their security and Harry could do no more than get into his vehicle and start it up before spells were being fired at him. Needless to say, Harry's only option of escape was to use the instant apparition which is why he now found himself in the situation of having no idea where exactly he was.

He carefully checked his surroundings and saw a forest of young sapling pines around him. Harry was quick to notice that it wasn't like the one in Transylvania, nor was it like the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. This wooded area just seemed to be an ordinary forest one would expect when camping. Trees were numerous but not so dense that the sunlight couldn't break through. It looked almost pleasant and inviting, leading onward into a denser forest into the wilderness of the mountains far beyond.

"Point me Hogwarts," Harry said after he had shrunken his Phantom and tucked it safely away in his trunk, trying to shake off the odd feeling that he was in a wilderness. 'Where was civilisation?' His wand did nothing so he tried again with the same result. "What the hell is going on?!" Harry grumbled angrily to himself. "Point me Remus Lupin," nothing. "Point me Ron Weasley," again, nothing. "Point me...oh Merlin, forget it." Harry's eyes suddenly widened as his wand spun rapidly before pointing behind him.

"What the…?" he said, trailing off as a horrible thought occurred to him. He raised his wand and cast a quick date charm and groaned as it confirmed what he dreaded; the instant apparition on his Phantom had malfunctioned and Harry was now stuck in the year 461 A.D. with the greatest wizard to have ever lived; the mighty Merlin himself.

Despite realising what had happened, it still came as a shock to Harry when a young man with longish red hair and the beginning of a beard found him sitting beneath a tree trying to figure out what he should do. The first problem came when the man started speaking to him in a strange language which Harry eventually figured out was Anglo-Saxon. A quick translation charm solved this problem and the man (who confirmed his name was Merlin which earned him a low groan) listened as the one with an odd scar told his story.

It was a rather sceptical Merlin but after seeing the Phantom, he changed his tune and allowed the futuristic stranger to follow him to his house. It wasn't a very long walk back and Harry stared at Merlin's cottage which was made of stone with a thatched roof. It certainly gave no indication that the most famous wizard was living in it, but Harry managed to find out that Merlin was yet to fulfil that role as Morgana was still alive and well at this point in time.

Merlin ushered Harry inside where it was obvious that the soon-to-be famous magician liked to keep to himself. The only indications that this was the home of a wizard were some portraits that were looking at Harry just as curiously as he himself was looking around the small house. Merlin gave him the full tour which only included the living room, kitchen, bathroom and the sole bedroom.

They had a quick dinner with Merlin listening eagerly to a reluctant Harry explaining how his Phantom worked before moving onto the topic of time-travel, how to recreate the forces that brought Harry here in the first place and how he was going to return back home. The only way he could think of was with the potion Hermione had created and the copy, which he had snagged, of the instructions when he used the Felix Felicis potion that night.

After a rather restless sleep, Harry voiced this thought to Merlin who agreed with the idea and took him outside to where a small building was situated. Harry quietly followed Merlin inside and he smiled as he looked around a massive laboratory.

"Nice expansion charms," Harry said in approval and Merlin gave him a broad smile in return before he waved his wand, clearing a table for Harry to set the list on.

Merlin took one look at it before scratching his head. "Er, Harry? I have never heard of most of these ingredients."

Harry groaned before the two of them scoured Merlin's lab with the younger wizard pointing out which things looked like what they were looking for. Harry then knew that what he had originally hoped to be a rather simple task of getting home was going to take longer than expected.

* * *

It took the two of them nearly four months to track down all the ingredients on Draco's list. They had exhausted every available option; from going into towns (muggle and magical), owl post, and visits to libraries so Harry could find out the names to those ingredients that had changed names in his time. 

Harry's time wasn't all spent on research however as Merlin suggested some duelling to break up their routine. After getting over his initial shock at being asked to duel (which lasted the first three times as Merlin dumped him on his backside inside a minute each time), he was able to eventually hold his own. Truth be told, Harry felt somewhat embarrassed the first time he beat Merlin.

He was rather stunned to see that the majority of the spells had not changed much over the course of time, but Merlin did know spells that Harry had never heard of before and vice versa. Finally the time came for Harry to depart and while he was happy to get back to his friends, he was a little disappointed that he couldn't stay longer.

"You're a marvellous wizard, Harry James Potter. The best I've come across."

Harry let out a chuckle. "You're not half bad yourself."

Merlin beamed back at him before summoning a wrapped package from the table. "I believe you desired this," he handed Harry the gift.

"What is it?"

"Something a friend gave me to give to you," he replied with a twinkle in his eyes very reminiscent of Dumbledore.

Harry thought about unwrapping it but instead nodded and smiled before storing it in his trunk prior to shrinking it. He then went back to the potion and counted out the required amount of turns that would bring him back to the timeline he came from. Several vials were filled and labelled as Harry had not spent a full year in the past and it was with a small amount of regret that he pulled on his invisibility cloak and obliviated Merlin (on Merlin's request) so he wouldn't remember anything about Harry being here.

Harry then slowly crept back outside and apparated to the one place he knew still existed in his own time; Stonehenge. He looked around the deserted landscape, knowing that in his time it would be most likely packed with tourists.

He had several bottles of the time-travel potion ranging from jumps of a single day right up to 1500 years. Both wizards felt that this would give Harry the best possible chance of returning to the exact moment in time before he wound up in the past. His first jump ended without incident and Harry then apparated to near Hogwarts since it existed now. After gulping down a few more vials, he let out a relieved sigh as his wand confirmed he had returned back to the exact day his unscheduled history lesson started. Harry walked through the halls and could hear voices coming from inside the Great Hall. After listening closely to what was being said, he realised that Remus was telling his story.

"…and the next thing I know, I was back to being myself rather than a Dementor."

"Then where's Harry?" he heard Bianca ask.

"He's been outside listening to the story," Harry announced, opening the doors as walking down to where the staff were sitting with a big smile on your face.

"You missed dinner, Harry. We were starting to get a little worried."

"Oh, it was nothing major, Remus, I just got delayed a bit from getting here."

"You smell different," Tobius and Bianca said at the same time causing Harry's smile to widen more as they then glared at each other, partly in surprise that the other had said the same thing and partly upset for the same reason.

"Good to see that some things never change," he said which caused the two of them to shift their glares to him. "Yeah, I suppose getting thrown back in time for a few months does that to you."

"_Back_ in time?" How did _that_ happen?! You said that it was 'nothing major'!" Hermione demanded.

Harry shrugged. "I went back to get my Phantom and had to use the instant apparition mode to get away. Let's just say that the greatest wizard in history is quite a nice guy," he replied, causing everyone in the hall to stare at him in utter astonishment.


	30. Chapter 30 – The Bonds That Tie Us Toget

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

lol, cheers for the reviews guys. Yeah, I would've liked to expand a bit on Harry's trip into the past but my writing ability lacks severely when it comes it history lessons (never been into that topic…probably why it took ages to write, lol). Anyway, the main point of his trip was obviously the present and I couldn't figure out a better way for it to happen _(shrugs)_

I am hopeful that this fic will be done and dusted by the time JKR releases book 7 in July…well, that's the plan anyway since I _sort of_ know how I want the rest of it to go, lol

* * *

**Chapter 30 – The Bonds That Tie Us Together**

Harry was lounging in front of the fire doing something he hadn't really been able to in the past few days; evading Hermione. The Headmistress had not taken lightly to Harry's comment about his unscheduled trip being 'nothing major' and she had berated time and again both Remus and himself about the unnecessary dangers they had taken by casting the Dementor spell.

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your point of view, Hermione's attention had been drawn from the 'idiocy and those two should know better' to the increased attacks on the remaining Wizarding villages throughout Europe as Brard decided to take his fury out on them after losing both Harry and Remus from his fortress.

He was brought from his musings by a light knock on the door. Mentally groaning, thinking that Hermione must have come back to give him yet another telling off, he cast a revealing charm on the door and was surprised to see that Bianca was standing outside instead of Hermione.

Bianca herself wasn't exactly sure why she was even here. She was about to knock on the door but stopped and took a deep breath as she stood outside the portrait of Harry and Remus' quarters. She prided herself on being able to mask her emotions, with the exception being when something happened that caused her to _really_ lose her temper. She had been shocked, then angry when Remus had told his story behind being kidnapped, but Harry's further explanation took all her control to stop from whacking the living daylights out of him for taking such a risk without telling anyone.

In the end she had managed to conceal her anger and was one of the first to leave the Great Hall before hightailing it to her room with blurry vision which she put down to being incensed at Harry. The resulting swearing when she entered would have made several sailors very proud. How could this have happened? She used to display an air of coldness that would make people think twice about approaching her, but that had all been destroyed. She had tried to do everything like she normally did; being brutally honest whenever asked for her opinion and being quite blunt with some of her answers…so why was she feeling like this? How had Harry managed to get under her skin like he had?

The bond.

She sighed again and wondered if Harry knew what that entailed. She hoped he did as she certainly didn't want to tell him. But at the same time, she didn't really know what to do. Why was she even standing outside wanting to talk to him? Everyone was concerned with what had happened to both of them…yet she only wanted to talk to Harry.

Another deep breath and she knocked on the door, secretly hoping that Harry or Remus would tell her to go away thinking she was Hermione. Luck wasn't on her side this time as the door opened and Harry silently gestured for her to come in. After settling herself on one of the empty chairs she sat in silence with Harry watching her with a rather apprehensive look on his face. She wanted him to start talking and hoped it would put her at ease but it seemed that Harry was waiting for her to tell him off.

"I'm not here to rant at you," she eventually said.

"After you left early I thought that was exactly why you came here," he replied, relief flooding over his face causing her to smile inwardly before looking at him seriously.

"What do you know about the debt I owe you?"

She saw Harry sigh deeply, looking rather uncomfortable as he took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. The short silence was broken when he said, "I know that it's nothing like a wizard's debt."

"Well that's one way of putting it," she grumbled causing Harry to inwardly chuckle.

"Look Bianca," he continued, turning serious again, "I don't like the implications much either but the fact is that what's done is done and we'll both have to…"

"It's not that," she interrupted abruptly. "How can you be so calm about the situation? I must have been through every possible emotion and yet you haven't said anything about this."

"First off; you haven't exactly said anything yourself. Secondly, the only reason I appear to be calm about it is that I'm used to weird things happening to me."

"So that's all I am to you huh, another 'weird thing' in the life of Harry Potter?!" she replied, her voice raising the more frustrated she was getting.

"Look," Harry answered, his own temper also rising. "I don't like this anymore than you, but at least _I'm_ trying to accept the situation. All you do is snap at everyone."

"How dare you! I'll have you know that…"

"Tobius," Harry cut in causing Bianca to blink. "I know that you don't get along with him due to the heritage of both you and him but you can't deny that you like to bait him any chance you get."

"But…I…he," she stammered, trying to find an argument to rebuff Harry's claim. "Fine, so I like to tease Tobius, big deal. It's not _my_ problem that he's such an easy target. Besides, I fail to see how that has anything to do with this bond since I like teasing people anyway."

"Then why don't you do it to me?"

"Well…er…that's not the point!" she replied, standing up and starting to pace around the room. "You're a different case…"

"Due to the bond which is causing you to take out things on others, Tobius mainly, that you would on me," Harry finished for her, earning a look of 'is it _that_ easy to see?' from Bianca.

"Ok, so you have a point," she reluctantly admitted. "But I _am_ trying to do better at controlling myself. I am!" Bianca cried after seeing the look on Harry's face. "Ask Tobius the next time you see him. I haven't snapped at him in three whole days!"

Harry was about to reply but thought about it before he did; Bianca was right in this case, even Hermione had mentioned that she had calmed down quite a bit from when he was away rescuing Remus. "Well I guess that's an improvement. Why did you ask about the bond in the first place?"

Bianca then stopped her pacing and mumbled something that Harry didn't fully catch but sounded like, "didn't want to be the one to tell you about it." She then looked at Harry curiously. "Do you think that our personalities will intertwine if we both accept the bond?"

"No idea," he admitted, rather surprised that Bianca had agreed with his earlier comment about her fighting their predicament. "Nor do I know what'll happen after this is over and Remus and me go back."

"That's assuming that we can stop Brard of course. Besides, I was under the impression that I would have to go back with you anyway."

"Mmm, I guess, but I don't think it's fair on you to be forced to leave here. This is after all your right timeline, me and Remus are the ones trying to change it."

"Yeah," she agreed before flashing Harry a grin, "But I have to go back with you so I can whack Brard for turning me in the first place."

Harry could only laugh in reply.

* * *

Remus and Harry were sitting in their lounge room after yet another visit from Hermione asking if they were both alright after what had happened. Remus could only smile as she fussed over Harry who gave him a scowl in return which only caused him to smile more, long after she had left the room.

"Bugger off, Remus. She did the same to you earlier," Harry snapped.

"True. But she was never my friend at school so she was just worried about you that's all."

The younger wizard gave a 'hmph' in reply before sighing and both going back to their own thoughts. It was Remus who broke the silence as he asked, "What did you do to Bianca?"

"What?" Harry replied, caught off guard by the question.

"Well," Remus began, "She hasn't been her usual self lately so I just thought you talked to her or something."

"Oh we think it's the bond," he said. "That we might both rub off on each other."

"I see, well I hope you don't get her temper," Remus said, causing Harry to smile and nod in agreement. "I hear that she wants to come back with us. Any idea how much that'll affect the timeline?"

"A fair bit considering the fact that she wasn't even born when we left."

"Mmm, that's what I thought too," Remus replied.

Harry ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "She can be difficult to get along with, but that's just how she is. I mean, she can be abrupt without really meaning to be, you know?"

Remus nodded. "It makes sense as many vampires tend to have a wicked temper when pushed too far and tend to be very good at pushing the right buttons when it comes to riling up others."

"She is trying to control herself better and not snap all the time," Harry replied, remembering what Bianca had told him.

"Well if she's trying to scare Tobius even more by making him more edgy whenever she's around as he doesn't know when she's going to lash out then it's working a treat."

"I don't think that's her intention, Remus," Harry chided him and Remus gave him a smile in reply.

"I know, Harry, but I do think Tobius was used to her going off at him and since she's not doing that as much he is getting rather…" he trailed off looking for the right word.

"Confused?" Harry supplied, causing him to nod.

"It certainly seems that way."

"Either way, we've got other things to worry about right now," Harry continued, sighing. "Like you for instance."

"M…me?" Remus stuttered, fidgeting nervously. He knew what Harry was talking about. Now that he had his memories back, he was forced into the awkward realisation that he had his own bond to worry about. But that wasn't even the worst of the problem. Would his new mate even want to give him a chance after what he did to her? Would she ever accept the fact that he was never in control of himself.

"Yeah," Harry brought him out of his thoughts. "You."

"Liana," Remus sighed. "How is she?"

"Good question," Harry began. "She's angry, hurt and confused for starters. Doesn't ever want to see you again but will have to tomorrow probably." He stopped as Remus buried his head in his hands. "Oh yeah," Harry suddenly went on. "She's carrying chil…er…pups; in your language."

Remus fell off his chair. "SHE'S _WHAT_?!"

"Only kidding on that last part," Harry grinned.

"I hate you! You're evil. _Really_ evil." Remus snarled.

"Sorry, couldn't resist. Marauder in me and all that," Harry shrugged as he ignored the glare. "Anyway, you two are just going to have to work it out when next you see her. I'm going to head off to bed so I'll see you tomorrow."

Remus grumbled that he was also going to do the same so they each went into their respective bedrooms and Harry let out a sigh as he shut his door. From all the reports they were hearing, Brard had been absolutely livid that Harry had escaped and had increased the number of attacks in the past week in an effort to draw him out into the open. Had Harry still been a student it may have worked but he knew better than to rush into a situation without having adequate planning.

Instead of going to sleep, Harry looked over to his desk and spotted a book beneath some torn paper that had contained Merlin's gift to him; the tail feather from a white phoenix. How Merlin had found one he didn't know and nor did it get explained in the note attached with it.

After carefully laying the gift to one side, Harry then flicked through the book, realising that it was the one he had…persuaded Peter to provide him the password for. He wasn't paying attention to the words but was suddenly struck by a comment that Trent had made to him during one of his visits to the Spirit Room; the real test of a hero is knowing when the greater good could be served by an evil act. To save others, the cost of one life is sometimes the price that must be paid.

He let out a sigh as an idea formed in his mind, one he doubted that the others would appreciate…and one that could backfire horribly.


	31. Chapter 31 – Desperate Measures

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Cheers guys, sorry again for the delay…seems that despite my knowing what I wanted in the chapter, it took me ages to word it to my liking _(rolls eyes)_

* * *

**Chapter 31 – Desperate Measures**

The next few weeks went by quickly for Harry as he spent most of his time in his room finetuning the idea he had come up with. He heard the portrait slam and became instantly concerned when his door was yanked open and a very pale Remus stumbled in. He noticed that his face was stained with tears so whatever had happened could not have been good news.

"What's wrong?" he asked as Remus slumped on the bed.

Remus answered with a single word. "Brard."

This didn't really surprise Harry even though Brard had seemingly toned down his attacks, he would still strike often enough. He recalled Bianca saying that was most likely due to the temper vampires have finally ebbing away, but somehow, the way Remus was acting, Brard had mostly like struck big this time.

Harry was about to speak when Remus continued, "Hogsmeade was attacked this morning."

That got Harry's attention since he certainly didn't hear anything about that. "Judging by your reaction I guess that it was worse than last time."

Remus just nodded and Harry could tell that he was holding back but he knew better than to press the issue. He figured that Remus was getting to the point and didn't want to be pushed into telling the story any quicker than he already was.

"There was nothing there when I arrived. Completely gone, even the Shrieking Shack." He then sat up, burying his head in his heads. "I've never felt so helpless before, even on full moon."

"Who told you?"

Remus opened his mouth but closed it quickly and shook his head. "I…just knew," he finally said.

"You're not telling me everything, are you?" Harry stated.

"Liana," Remus choked out, tears streaming down his face. "She'd never been into the village before."

He couldn't continue and Harry just closed his eyes in frustration. While Liana would probably never fully forgive Remus for what he'd done when under Brard's control, she had at least understood the implications. But that slow healing process had come to a shuddering halt; Remus had lost his life mate…again.

* * *

Hermione had called an Order meeting that night and had asked for any suggestions regarding the latest attack which now left Hogwarts and Durmstrang as the only Wizarding safe houses in Europe. No one had come up with anything other than trying to negotiate again. 

"What about weapons?" Fred asked.

"Not an option," Tobius bluntly replied.

"Why not?" Harry asked, thinking that Fred might have a point. It was obvious that he still harboured a deep hatred for Brard after losing Angelina in the first Hogsmeade attack a few months ago.

Tobius sighed. "It's…complicated."

"No it isn't. All we need to do is design a sort of silver liquid bullet for the werewolves. One that spreads the silver through their bloodstream as soon as it embeds into them." Tobius' face paled at the very thought of that suggestion.

"That's all well and good to say that…" Draco began, but was cut off.

"And we'll need a few flamethrowers for the vampires." Harry went on, ignoring Draco.

Harry was brought from his tirade when Bianca slapped his cheek, snapping him back to reality. "Now you listen here, you _can't_ do that."

"But…"

"A law was passed in the war before Grindelwald's." Hermione cut in, seeing that Bianca was about to launch at Harry again. "Any wizard or witch caught using muggle technology like that in a wizarding battle was left with only two choices."

"Which were?" Harry asked.

It was Remus who picked up where Hermione left off. "They could have their powers stripped and be banished from all wizarding communities." He then paused for effect. "Or they were sent through the veil."

"Then what else is there? They won't negotiate, you said that you've tried plenty of times."

Ron nodded at Harry's question. "And now that you two escaped, they'll be out for both of you. But especially you, mate."

"Wow, that'd be a first. Imagine that, someone after Harry Potter," he answered rather sarcastically causing a few people to smile.

"So, if we can't talk them out of war, and our numbers are too few, even with the Dementors, to fight back, what can we do?" Tobius asked.

Silence greeted this comment as everyone tried desperately to think of a potential solution. None were forthcoming so Harry decided to see what they thought about his other idea. "As much as I hate to say it, there's only one possible solution to this."

"And that is what?" Draco asked after Harry didn't elaborate.

"We'll have to cull them completely."

"A…a purge? How could you even _think_ to suggest that?! We've just said that you can't…"

"I didn't mean with the weapons, Hermione." He interrupted. "I'm sorry, but if you can figure out another way, please be my guest."

"It'd take far too long to pick them off one by one though," Ron told him after another long silence while everyone pondered such a drastic move.

Harry nodded, "I know. There's only one way to do it, but it's ridiculously risky, not to mention very firmly on the side of Dark Arts."

"How?"

"Well Remus, I read about a spell that could do this. It's called the Life Extinction curse. Basically what it does is kill all those different to the caster within a set radius of where the spell is cast."

Most people gasped when Harry described it, but they weren't expecting him to say what he did next. "There has only ever been one case where the spell has been successfully done. If done properly, the caster, along with those similar to them, will live even though they'd be caught in the spell's range. In our case, we could use the spell to target the vampires and werewolves since they're dark creatures."

"And if it isn't done properly?" Draco warily asked. He knew quite a few Dark Art spells, but this certainly wasn't one of them.

"Everyone caught in the blast dies, including the caster."

Silence again greeted this comment before Ron spoke up. "Was it Merlin who did it successfully?"

Harry shook his head. "No, it was far more recent than that. Besides, I said it was Dark Arts."

When he didn't continue, Remus started to get annoyed. "Well? Who was it then?!" he growled.

"Peter."

Remus' eyes widened in shock. He had been expecting Grindelwald or Voldemort. "Wh…what did you say?"

"Peter did it," Harry repeated. "That was the spell he used to frame Sirius with."

Remus opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He couldn't believe that Peter would have used such a curse. But it fitted together; the muggles died while Sirius and Peter, both wizards, lived. Peter disappeared, leaving Sirius to face the Aurors. Every way he looked at it, Harry's answer made sense.

"How large is this zone likely to be though?" Tobius asked.

"Depends on the power the caster has and puts into it. But I'm pretty sure I'd be able to get everyone in a three mile radius, provided I transform and I'm fresh."

"What do you mean 'I', Harry? There is _no way_ you're doing this by yourself!"

"With all due respect, Remus, it can _only_ be me. Ron told us that they're after me since I escaped, and got you out. The only person they'd jump at the chance to unleash all their forces on is _me_."

Harry then took advantage of the stunned silence by quickly heading back to his room.

* * *

The next week had seen several people try to talk Harry out of his idea (Hermione and Remus), or beg to come with him and help (Fred and Bianca). He had stubbornly refused to be swayed and, eventually, everyone had left Harry to sort it out. He felt that Draco's agreement that this was the only way to end the war had something to do with it (the blond had seemingly raised his opinion of Harry after that meeting, and while he would never say it to anyone, he wasn't sure if Harry had it in him to pull off such a Dark spell). 

It was mid-afternoon when Remus came into Harry's room, watching as the wizard was making his final preparations, "You are certain that it has to be done like this?"

Harry nodded. "I'm sure, I've already sent off the offer. There's no other way."

"You do realise what will happen if you pull this off?"

Harry looked at his friend questionably, while Remus smiled. "You'll be given more recognition than you've ever got before."

"I'm not doing it for that, I'm doing it…"

"Because it needs to be done. I know, Harry."

Silence followed, before Harry looked at Remus and sighed. "I want you to know, Remus, that if I don't come back…"

"You will, Harry," Remus cut in, but Harry ignored him.

"…that I want you to have the mansion since you built it in the first place. I've left a will in my trunk. I have only one more thing to give you."

With that, Harry withdrew a piece of parchment and handed it to him.

"This isn't the map," Remus said, for the parchment was new and far smaller.

"Quite right. It's the instructions to enter the Spirit Room. Make sure you pass it on before your time is up."

Remus was stunned. By all accounts, it was as if…his face dawned in realisation. "Oh no, you are _not_ doing what I think you are!"

Harry tried to speak, but found he couldn't. A single tear slid down his face as he slowly nodded.

"How can you even _think_ like that?!" Remus angrily asked.

"I don't have much choice…"

"There's always a choice, Harry," he interrupted, still not believing his ears.

Harry sighed and shook his head sadly. "I don't expect you to understand…"

"Oh, I think I understand it perfectly. You intend to sacrifice yourself! That's the easy way out and you know it!"

Harry's eyes flashed in anger and he pointed his wand at Remus' chest. "Don't you _ever_ say that again. You don't have _any_ idea how this spell works, so stop jumping to conclusions!" he spat.

Remus wasn't taking any of it. "Then _tell_ me how it works!" he growled.

Harry glared at him, before lowering his wand and sighing. "I…I can't, Remus. Just…just know that it's for the best."

Before Remus could even reply, Harry disappeared in a flash of orange. He was fuming that Harry didn't tell him about this before. Remus needed something to vent his anger on and looked around the room, spotting a book on Harry's desk. He walked over and picked it up. It was painfully thin and black.

'I wonder if that's the book Harry found the spell in?' he thought before trying to open it, but to no avail.

He tapped his wand to it, noticing in shock that it recorded its details. He snatched the book up before running outside, wanting to get to Marauder's Mansion as soon as possible. Peter must have known how to open it, because that's who Harry said had used the spell before. Remus wanted answers and he wanted them now.

He arrived in the living room and quickly turned his attention to the portrait to get the instructions to open the book. Peter complied after seeing how frantic Remus sounded and didn't fancy getting hexed…or threatened by Lily and James since it concerned their son.

"This…I…I don't believe it!" Remus choked out after reading through the spell.

"What Moony? Can you _please_ tell us what all this is about? Harry didn't say anything," Sirius pleaded.

Remus could only nod. His hands were shaking slightly as he read through the full details of the spell. "Harry must have found this book somewhere…"

"Restricted section in the library. I hid it there, hoping it would never be found again," Peter interrupted.

"He said that you used this spell to frame Sirius with," Remus continued.

Those in the portrait gasped as he said this, and everyone looked at Peter in shock, disbelief and a little anger as Remus then read how the spell worked. His face drained in colour as he read the final part of it.

'_This is perhaps the darkest and most horrific spell a wizard or witch can use. It should only be used in the most dire of circumstances, when no other means of escape is possible. Created by Lucifina, it is unknown whether the caster can survive the spell for no one as of yet has done so. It is known that only a Dark wizard or witch would have any chance of survival and should this spell be attempted by one of the Light, their death is certain.'_

Remus could only look up as he finished, tears streaming down his face, before he buried his head in his hands. "Oh Harry, why? Why didn't you tell me?"


	32. Chapter 32 – By My Life Or Death

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Great Merlin, I've finally managed an update! Sorry everyone but I really have been struggling to get the inspiration needed to finish this off…no chance of it getting done by the time 'Deathly Hallows' is released.

The good news is that chapter 33 shouldn't take very long since I've had that one written a month before 'Half Blood Prince' was released, LOL!

* * *

**Chapter 32 – By My Life Or Death**

It was therefore a rather frantic Remus Lupin who pounded on Bianca's portrait, begging for her to let him in. Bianca could barely make out his ramblings and it had taken him three attempts before he was coherent enough for her to understand what was going on.

"He did _what_?!" she shrieked, causing Remus a bit of pain with his heightened senses. "After I help him write that blasted letter, _this_ is how he repays me? I'll kill him when he gets back!"

"Er, Bianca? I just said that…"

"I heard what you said, Lupin! I just can't believe Harry would do something so…so…"

"Gryffindor?"

"Ridiculously stupid more like it," she fumed.

Remus stayed silent and watched as Bianca continued ranting for another five minutes before asking if she felt any better.

"A little," she replied before letting her shoulders drop. She then looked up at Remus who could see tears beginning to form in her eyes. "How could he do this to me?"

"Well," Remus sighed. "He's a Gryffindor. Son of a Marauder and Godson of another too. It's bred in him; to be foolishly brave."

"Foolishly brave?" Bianca repeated dangerously. "_Foolishly brave_! He's a complete _imbecile_. Childish! Irresponsible! Wanting all the action, the glory, for himself!"

"Now wait just a minute!" Remus' anger flared so much, his eyes turned a burning gold. "How _dare_ you say that about my best friend's son?! Actually, he's basically my son now! He isn't selfish, he's _selfless_. He's trying to protect us all!"

"Well he's going about it the wrong way!" Bianca shot back. Her features changed slightly as the vampiric beast within her came forward knocking over the lamp stand and pot plant as she grew. "You two should have stuck to your original plan! Go back to your own time zone! That would have fixed everything without killing anyone!"

She flailed her wings wildly, sending the occupants in portraits scurrying away before the frames clattered to the floor as Bianca flexed her wings to their full span. Remus hadn't anticipated this and got knocked to the floor as well. He slowly stood up, accepting the challenge as he snarled and charged at Bianca, catching the tip of a wing in his teeth before tearing a large gash through the membrane. Bianca howled in rage and pain before getting her other one caught in the alcove where the window was.

Remus leaped forward, pouncing. He knocked both themselves and a potted plant to the floor, earth spilling between them onto Bianca. They landed on the floor with Remus on top, teeth bared, as he growled savagely while swiping a pile of dirt that contained the remnants of the plant aside.

Bianca's wing was still caught in the window, snagged on shards of glass. She shrieked highly, almost piercing Remus' eardrums. Angered by the ringing in his ears, Remus put a hand out and yanked the wing back, leaving bits of membrane draped over the windowsill. He growled contentedly as Bianca hissed at him helplessly, showing no concern over her gashes. His gleeful moment of inattention cost him. Bianca quickly threw him off and he landed beside her. They lay there as they slowly returned to normal.

Remus turned over and stared at Bianca who was panting beside him. She was looking herself again, her wings had disappeared and she was appeared rather pitiful and her face was splattered in muddy soil from the plant. They stared at each other for a while in silence. "You don't mean that," Remus softly said.

She shook her head. "Of course I don't. _I'm_ the selfish one. I want him here with me, not out there fighting someone who hasn't been defeated in over a hundred years."

Another silence greeted this comment before Remus sighed. "I'm going to miss him too."

"Oh," Bianca groaned. "Don't we have any time left to try to find him?"

"I wouldn't know where to begin," Remus said. "He never mentioned an area in particular."

* * *

Harry had landed in the middle of the Sahara desert; his chosen spot for the final battle. He had picked here since it was the closest, and largest, unpopulated area he could find and had spent the past week figuring out how best to utilise the curse. Harry knew that while getting rid of Brard was the main goal, his other was to find a way to lure as many of the enemies as possible. In the end, he had enlisted Bianca's help in appealing to Brard's bloodlust and sense of pride and had boasted how weak Brard was and that he would be willing to take on anyone and everyone so long Harry could choose where to fight.

He had visited the site in the last few days to put wards up so muggles wouldn't feel compelled to wander through. Now though, Harry was here to ensure that the wards could allow people to apparate in but not out. He was unable to cast the usual anti-apparation ward as this would interfere with the Life Extinction curse so instead Harry was relying on runes which could envelop a far greater area, putting it out of the range of his transformation.

Everything was set and all Harry could do now was wait to see if Brard would turn up. He didn't know how long he had waited, but eventually Harry heard many telltale 'pops' signalling that people were arriving. Harry kept his composure as hundreds of vampires and werewolves circled around, but none dared attack him. 'That must be on Brards' orders,' he thought before one figure stepped forward.

A tall, imposing figure with long blond hair and near white skin complete with smirk was all Harry needed to recognise Brard.

"I admire your courage, Potter. Not many have ever dared challenge me. It surprises me you did turn up however."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Harry replied, his eyes not moving from Brard.

"Do you know why this war was started?" Brard asked.

"Because the general wizarding population are idiots and don't believe that all magical beings deserve equal treatment."

"Impressive answer, but only partially correct."

"Enlighten me then."

"The general wizarding population do believe that all magical beings deserve the same treatment, so long as they are the ones in control. _That_ is what the war is about; respect. We have had enough of being treated like nothing. You've brought this upon yourselves."

"If we gave you respect, made you equals, would that end this war?"

"It is too late to beg, Potter."

"Why? Surely you must know by now that Remus and myself don't belong in this time. I can go back and make sure that this war never started."

He watched Brard consider this option for a moment before he shook his head, leaving Harry very little choice but to use the spell.

"No. As well known as you are, you are _not_ a God."

"Why don't you find out?" Harry coolly replied.

According to the book, the Life Extinction curse was the most powerful spell one could cast without an incantation, but its effect was significantly multiplied if one does say it. Harry had been using his talk with the vampire leader to build up the necessary requirements for the spell. He had already singled out the vampires, werewolves and trolls, and was currently increasing his blast radius to its maximum range. Unfortunately, to do that, he needed someway to transform to unleash his full power without giving away what he had planned.

"As pleasant as this little chat is," Brard hissed. "I think I shall take you up on that offer." He bowed slightly and Harry saw two black lines shoot out of Brard's back and unfold into long wings, tattered from previous fights.

Suddenly realising that Brard was transforming into his true vampiric form, Harry seized his own opportunity. "Very well. But I only think it fair to show you what you're up against."

He then transformed as well, whispering the words to the solar burst charm to buy a little more time to surround everyone he could.

When everyone could next see, Harry had his wand raised, and a smirk on his face. "Impressive, no?" he casually asked.

"Hardly, Potter!" Brard stood his full height. He flexed his wings and bared bloodstained fangs. "You're not the only one that can change!"

"I can see that!" Harry replied, still unconcerned. Even though Brard had released all his power, he was still the closest in range to Harry and would therefore still receive the full force of the shock wave, as he would be hit first.

"I have seen pictures of your transformation before, but it did not mention the brightness."

"Funny you should say that. Do you know what I taught at Hogwarts?"

"Everyone knows that; Defence Against the Dark Arts," Brard scoffed.

Harry nodded. "Excellent. Then you must be aware of _exactly_ what it takes to teach that particular subject."

"What are you trying to say, Potter? You are just one wizard. What could you possibly do against _all_ of my forces?!" he snorted.

Harry smiled as he finished the preparations. He looked his foe in the eye before speaking. "Sorcerer, actually"

Brard hesitated but quickly recovered. "You are trying to tell me you've gone up a magical rank? I do not believe you, Potter. Sorcerer is very hard and then the highest order, magistrate, is almost impossible. You would never be able to increase your rank. No half-blood can do that!"

"Perhaps impossible for some," Harry agreed. "But not all. And as for what I can do, how about this; Spiratius Iradicatio!"

A brilliant white light erupted from Harry's wand, and quickly enveloped the wizard. The dome of light then started to expand, rapidly growing to its maximum size. Quite a few vampires and werewolves tried to outrun the ever-expanding dome, but it was a futile effort. Once the light touched them, they were frozen in place, unable to even blink.

The white dome reached its limit and continued to grow even brighter. Then, without warning, the ground started shaking as if an earthquake was taking place. The ground continued to tremble before the dome exploded, lighting up the sky like nothing had ever done before. As quickly as it had started, the light vanished, leaving the ground a matted mess of sand, earth and debris. It was also littered with bodies…Harry's amongst them.


	33. Chapter 33 – The Devil’s Deal

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Ahh yes, an old, time-honoured werewolf/vampire spat, lol. My beta wrote most of that out so I have to thank her (yet again) for adding some much needed action in the start of that chapter. In fact, if it wasn't for her, chapter 32 wouldn't have been anywhere near as long…so you have her to thank for it :)

Anyway, as I said in the previous chapter, this was written over two years ago…unfortunately I have yet to write out the next few chapters so while I had a spurt over the last couple weeks I wouldn't be expecting a chapter in the next couple of weeks.

Am I going to write a sequel to 'White Feather' based in another timeline…no, I have always maintained that this one will be the final chapter in this series. The whole point of this fic was to build up Harry into what Ollivander told him when he picked up his wand; great things are expected of him…I am trying to build him up to being that 'great thing' so there won't be any need for another sequel. I _may_ do a prequel based on Trent's schooling days but there won't be any after this. You guys can write one if you want, but let me know first so I can help you with ideas for it or whatever, lol

This little bit was inspired by a certain Mr Lucas, who told us that in 'Revenge of the Sith', we'd basically see Ani 'do a deal with a devil', hence the chapter title. I'm betting that most of you can probably guess the gist of where this chapter will go…

* * *

**Chapter 33 – The Devil's Deal**

When Harry next opened his eyes, he wasn't sure if he had. He was totally surrounded by darkness and had no idea what had happened. He concluded that the spell must have worked and wondered if this is what death felt like; to be blanketed by nothingness for all eternity.

His musings were broken when a voice was heard. "Well, well. I must say that I'm impressed, Potter."

Harry looked around blindly, trying to figure out where the voice had come from. "Where…who said that?"

The voice chuckled, and had a vaguely familiar sound to it. Harry's eyes widened in recognition and shock. "No! It…it can't be?! I killed you myself!"

The voice stopped laughing. "Ah, so you _do_ remember me then. I was beginning to feel left out."

"What are you doing here, _Tom_?" Harry spat.

Instead of the usual 'don't call me that, Potter!' he had been expecting, Voldemort chuckled again. "Don't tell me you don't _know_, Potter."

"Is this…I'm dead then."

Voldemort snorted, "Hardly. By all accounts you should be though."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you aware of what spell you used? What it entails?"

Harry nodded and then remembered that he was surrounded by darkness and that Voldemort would not have seen him do so. "Yes. Only a Dark wizard would have any chance to survive."

"Indeed. And _despite_ knowing this, you _still_ used it. Why Potter? Why would you use something like that?"

"Why do _you_ care? You were trying to kill me for seventeen years so you should be delighted I'm here!" he challenged.

Voldemort ignored this comment. "Do you know what truly happened the night I tried to kill you the first time?"

"Of course. You came to Godric's Hollow and killed my parents. Your spell rebounded from me and ripped you from your body. The modifications you had made to the Dementor spell were nullified and your spirit was…"

"I meant do you know what exactly happened when I cursed you? Why my spell rebounded in the first place?" he interrupted.

"My Mum's sacrifice and the blood protection," Harry responded, wondering why Voldemort was being, well, _nice_ to him.

"Indeed. I know why you cannot use the Killing curse…"

"You somehow took that away from me that night," Harry cut in.

"Correct and you also took something from me." Harry was confused and was about to ask but Voldemort continued. "I know all the details about the Life Extinction curse, Potter. Did you not wonder why I never appeared to use it once you had read about it?"

"I did," he admitted, "But then I read that the caster can only kill those different from them. You are, like me, a wizard and as such we both would've lived or died. It wouldn't have worked as you intended it to, regardless of whatever rituals you used since the spell doesn't recognise them and can't be modified in any way."

"True, but that is not the main reason. The same way that I removed your ability to cast the Killing curse, you removed mine to use that one. We shared the rare ability of parseltongue and even our minds. We are more alike than you could possibly imagine, Potter."

"The prophecy said that…" He trailed off at this point, knowing that Voldemort had not heard it in its entirety.

"Go on. You have already fulfilled it I imagine."

Harry then proceeded to tell him the prophecy, even including the explanation that he and Remus came up with.

"I see. Yes, I guess I did mark you as my equal, didn't I?" Voldemort mused after he thought upon the words.

"Why did you come after me first?"

"Because I did not know where the Longbottoms were hiding," he simply replied.

"Why didn't you wait then?"

"I am not the most patient of people, Potter. As soon I found out your whereabouts, I took my chance…or rather, I tried to."

Harry pondered this and decided that it made sense, at least to Voldemort anyway. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"You were also saved _this_ time by her sacrifice."

"Then…I'm alive?" Harry asked somewhat hopefully.

"Not quite. You have visited this place before with Dumbledore I believe."

"I'm in a coma again," he concluded.

"Indeed, but this time you cannot get back so easily."

"Why not?"

"You now do not have that protection anymore. The curse took it from you, along with your life."

"But you just said…"

"Yes Potter, you _can_ get back. But did I not say it wasn't as easy?" he cut in, sounding a little impatient.

Harry conceded that Voldemort had told him that so he asked another question. "Why are _you_ helping me then?"

"Because I am the only one who can."

"I don't need _your_ help." Harry replied, narrowing his eyes.

He then heard Voldemort snort before speaking, "_Don't_ think I'm doing this out of kindness of my heart Potter, because I can assure you I'm not."

"Then why?"

He heard a sigh before Voldemort next spoke. "I'm doing this because I have to."

"Have to? Why?"

"Because I owe you, Potter," he answered and Harry thought he could hear Voldemort grinding his teeth together as he spoke, "You offered to spare my life if I released my brother."

"But you're dead! Doesn't that cancel out any debt you owe me? After all, it's a _life_ debt."

"Which can be settled in several ways. Pettigrew repaid his to you by pushing you out of the way from my attempt to kill you. I am choosing to do mine now."

"What's the catch?" Harry cautiously asked. This sounded too good to be true as far as he was concerned.

"Can't I do one nice thing without you jumping down my throat?"

"No, you're a Dark Lord, remember? Being nice isn't part of your job description."

Voldemort chuckled before the room started to light up. Harry was able to see himself in a room with a table just in front of him. Voldemort was sitting on the other side, watching him with his crimson eyes.

"Have a seat, Potter," he said, gesturing to the chair opposite him.

Harry slowly sat down eyeing the Dark Lord very warily.

"Don't you trust me?" Voldemort asked with a slightly amused look on his face.

"What do you think?" he snapped back.

Voldemort just raised an eyebrow before replying, "I'll take that as a 'no'. I am the only one who can get you back."

"And you want something from me in return I take it."

Voldemort twisted his mouth into a smile. "Naturally. I would ask you to bring me back to life, but you know that is not possible."

Harry nodded. He remembered Dumbledore telling him the exact same thing at the end of his fourth year.

"Besides, that would not repay my debt to you. So I shall offer you something else. Should you refuse, you will die and be stuck here for the rest of your days."

Harry waited and watched as Voldemort stared at him, crimson clashing with emerald. After five minutes of silence, he finally spoke again. "You are not whole, Potter."

"What do you mean?"

"Like I wasn't whole until I merged with..."

"I'm _not_ doing that with _you_!"

"Why not?"

"You'll try to overpower me. You just want another chance to destroy everything! Well, you can just forget it!" Harry hissed.

Voldemort then sighed and leant back in his chair. "As much as it _pains_ me to say, you are far stronger than I ever was, Potter. You would be able to easily make sure I do not do that."

"I'm not stronger than you. The only reason I beat you in the end was because me and Remus fused. We weakened you enough for me to kill you."

"Point taken. But you managed to throw me out of your mind before, so you should be able to keep me…_in check_, shall we say. After all, you are mentally much stronger now than you were back then."

"And how does this get me back?"

"Your life is in the balance. You drained all of your magical power, including your blood protection, using that spell. If you do not get any energy, you will die."

"Then why are _you_ the only one who can help me?"

"Because only _I_ have your blood, the same blood that brought me back to life. A small piece of your power flows through _me_. I am willing to give you that in order to repay my debt to you."

"But you're dead."

"But _you_ aren't…yet. Just as I have a piece of you in me, you have a piece of me in you."

Harry shook his head. "Not anymore. I lost everything of yours when I destroyed you. I don't even have my scar anymore."

"Yet you are still unable to use the Killing curse. Therefore you must have a tiny bit leftover."

Harry sat in silence, trying to process everything Voldemort had told him. He then looked across the table. "So that's it? You're going to do this for me? You don't get anything out of it?"

"Ah, but I do, Potter. You shall be at your full power, as will I."

"But the prophecy said…"

"It has already been fulfilled. You have already vanquished me, therefore the prophecy is void in this instance," Voldemort interrupted. He correctly guessed that Harry was about to mention the 'neither can live while the other survives' part of it.

Harry thought over Voldemort's last comment about being at full power. "You once told me that there is no good and evil. That there's only power and those to weak to use it."

"I did? How interesting. That is correct though…"

"But it's not. There _is_ good and evil, the same way that there's light and dark magic…"

"That is a myth, Potter. You used the Dark Arts for good, did you not?"

"Well…I…I guess so."

"Then that would make you a Dark wizard, would it not?"

"I'll _never_ be a Dark wizard!" he growled back.

"I said 'dark', Potter, not 'evil'. There is a difference, though most people would deny that. It is the intent that makes the difference between dark and evil."

Harry again was silent at this point, thinking how Voldemort's comments would be somewhat different to anything Dumbledore would tell him. But one comment was still bugging him. "What did you mean that I'd be at my full power?"

"I told you that we both lost things the night I marked you. You would get all those back, as would I."

"So we'd be in the same body? Together?"

"That is correct. You would have the remains of my spirit within you."

"But Bob sucked your soul out."

Voldemort looked at Harry in surprise, but then smirked. "You gave a Dementor a name? How…cute, Potter. Yes, I did lose my soul, but you also destroyed the Dementor, correct?"

"I did, but I fail to see how…"

"Therefore I still remain in spirit form. Surely you must know that I feared death."

"Yeah, why else would you have tried so hard to become immortal?"

Voldemort nodded. "As such, I remained as a ghost. But I was forever bound to my father's house."

"Why?"

"Because of what it represented for me. Fate obviously thought it…_amusing_ to have the one place I was able to haunt, be the one place I hated above all others."

Harry had to agree that fate did indeed appear to have a strange sense of humour. After all, it had thrown both he and Remus thirty years forward in time and into the middle of another war.

"Then how are you here now?"

"By offering you what I am, I will not have to stay in that wretched place any longer. You would be doing both of us a favour."

Harry still looked dubious. "And I'd have complete control over my actions? You won't interfere with me in _any_ way whatsoever?"

Voldemort looked to be fighting a battle within himself and Harry knew why. He knew that as much as Voldemort wanted to say that he wouldn't, it wasn't the truth.

"I…can't promise that, Potter. You do have my word that my brother will try his best to prevent it and you should be able to block me out also."

"I won't suddenly develop an intense hatred for my friends will I? After all, they're mostly all the people you hated."

Voldemort curled his mouth into another smile. "No, you will not. I _can_ promise you that."

Another silence past. Then Harry's eyes widened in sheer horror. "And…and what'll happen if…when…whenever I…have se…uh…er…if I get married?"

Voldemort closed his eyes with a groan. "I _was_ young once too you know."

"That didn't answer my question at all!" Harry complained.

Voldemort grumbled under his breath. "It's Trent you'll have to worry about. He was quite the pervert really. But I'm used to it, unlike you," he laughed his old cruel laugh. "So you'll be the only one with any…problems, shall we say."

Harry ignored the jibe before he closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He wanted so very much to go back to see everyone, but wondered exactly what he was getting himself into. "There has to be _something_ you aren't telling me."

"You wouldn't believe me if I said otherwise so I shall not say anything," he replied.

Another long silence followed, during which time Harry was struggling with making his decision. Finally, after a good ten minutes of silent debating, he sighed again. "Fine. But I want your word that there'll be no nasty side effects or anything."

"I give you my word as a fellow wizard, Potter."

Voldemort then stood up and did something Harry wasn't expecting; he smiled. It wasn't a cruel, twisted smile either. It was a genuine one. He then stuck out a spidery hand, and Harry looked at it cautiously before slowly reaching out with his own.

The two rivals shook hands before Voldemort spoke. "Well, now that the niceties are out of the way, what say we finish this?"

Voldemort's body then became a glowing ball of soft, green light, which suddenly slammed into Harry's chest and began to spread throughout his body. The last thing Harry heard before darkness claimed him again was Voldemort's words.

"My bother is right. You truly are a remarkable wizard, Potter."


	34. Chapter 34 – Excess Baggage

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Oh and for those who actually read these little ramblings, please note that I haven't read the final book yet. I agreed with a good friend of mine that we wouldn't read it if we both liked the OotP movie, instead choosing to wait until the final movie has been released; final chance to see a HP movie without reading the book and all. To counter this, I won't be actually reading any reviews through fear of people leaving spoilers…so if you ask a question and I haven't answered, that will be why…thank you for understanding.

* * *

**Chapter 34 – Excess Baggage**

"I think he's waking up!"

"Don't get your hopes up. He's not a dark wizard. If he comes through this, it'll be _more_ than a miracle."

Harry recognised both Bianca and Remus' voices as he slowly returned to consciousness.

"I know, Remus. But I…I can hope, can't I?"

A sigh was heard before Remus responded. "You're right. I guess I've just about given up."

"Why, Remus?" Harry croaked out.

"HARRY?!" Both of them exclaimed at once before crushing him in an embrace. Once they released Harry, Bianca helped him put his glasses on. He saw that Bianca had tears streaming down her face and finger marks etched on her cheeks, while Remus looked almost as bad as the morning after one of his transformations.

"You guys haven't been in here the whole time have you?" he asked and had to smile when they both slowly nodded. "I probably should have expected that. Where is everyone?"

"In the Great Hall for the Easter feast," Bianca replied.

"Easter feast? Hmm, I thought I'd be out for longer than that."

"You were. You've been out for over a year, Harry," Remus interrupted him.

"A _year_?!"

Both of them nodded and Harry could only stare at them. "And you haven't left my side since then?" he queried after finding his voice.

It was Remus who answered, with a sheepish look of his face. "Well, we did when we had to, like when nature called, but there was always one of us here."

'Interesting friends, Potter. A werewolf and a vampire? Might I suggest…'

"No you cannot," he said, unaware that Remus had asked him a question. Judging by the look on his face, that answer was not the one he had been expecting. "Sorry, Remus. The voices in my head are annoying me. It's nothing to worry about. What did you say?"

The looks on both of their faces was priceless, and caused Harry to laugh. He could hear an echo of amusement inside his mind and knew that Trent, Voldemort, or both of them had found his comment just as humorous.

"The…looks…on your…faces!" he gasped.

"Well, what did you expect?!" Bianca exclaimed, clearly flustered, "You just said you were hearing voices!"

"Yeah, I know," Harry grinned. "Even in the wizarding world, hearing voices isn't a good sign. But enough of that, I'll explain it later. What did you ask me, Remus?"

"If anything happened this time while you were out, but obviously something did," Remus told him and Harry just nodded.

"I'd rather only have to tell that story once."

Remus nodded, before he left to get the others. Harry and Bianca stared at each other for a few minutes, Harry noticing that she looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"What's wrong?" Harry softly asked, brushing a stray hair from her eyes.

'Oh ho, now _this_ is getting inter…'

'Trent, if you finish that sentence!'

'Oh shut up, Tom! Aren't you a Dark Lord? You could cram Harry's head with dark thoughts to help him!'

'That…is _not_ the 'dark' I'm into and you ruddy well kno…'

"WILL YOU BOTH SHUT UP?!" Harry suddenly screeched exasperatedly, startling both Trent and Tom and sending them from his mind for a while from sheer fright as well as alarming Bianca. She raised an eyebrow at Harry who only shrugged and pointed to his forehead. "I'll explain soon enough. Now, tell me what's wrong?"

"I was so worried about you. And then when," Bianca started to cry again. "…when Remus told us all about the spell, we…"

"How did he find out?" Harry interrupted as Bianca wiped her eyes.

"He found the book it was in."

"Oh," Harry replied. 'Trust Remus to figure it out,' he thought before deciding to bring up the one thing that had plagued him ever since Remus had explained the situation; the difference in life expectancies. "I'm not sure the bond will work, Bianca. Maybe you should distance yourself from me now while you still can."

"It's too late for that, Harry. Even though you can be incredibly stupid at times," she gave him a playful smile as she said this. "Besides, as far as I can tell the bond has nearly fully intertwined with me."

Harry sighed and looked into her eyes. "And what about afterwards?"

"Afterwards? What do you mean?"

"You're part-vampire, while I'm just a wizard. You'll outlive me by at least a hundred years."

"Which is exactly why I want to enjoy what time I have with you now," she cut in, silencing Harry as she placed a finger over his lips. "After all this is over, I'm coming back with you to your time."

Harry moved his head closer to hers and just as their lips were about to touch, there was a 'bang' as the door opened and Bianca quickly took a step back before rolling her eyes (and silently cursing) at Remus who entered with Hermione, Tonks, Kingsley, Ron, Draco, Neville, Ginny and Tobius all in tow.

"Oh my goodness! Harry, how is this possible? You should be dead!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I was."

"Then how come you're alive?" Ron asked, puzzled, but relieved his friend was still very much with them.

"That…is a long story," Harry answered. He then sighed, before retelling them everything that happened while he was out and how Voldemort had helped him. When he finished, everyone was staring at him in stunned silence.

"So that's it. The one person who I never thought would ever do something like this, did."

"That…that's unbelievable!" Remus remarked, everyone murmuring their agreement.

"It's all true. I don't have anything to hide," Harry answered.

"I know, Harry. It's just that…well, I mean…I've never heard of anything like this happening before."

"Well, it's kind of the opposite of how Trent was created. He says 'hi' by the way."

"He's in there too?"

"Of course he is. Voldemort consumed him, remember?"

Remus could only nod, as he was too stunned to say anything else.

"So how do you feel now?" Tonks asked him.

"Physically I feel fine. But my magical levels are still ridiculously low. I think I should probably stay here and rest for a while."

Everyone agreed and after giving Harry his congratulations for beating the odds again, the hospital room was empty except for Bianca, Remus and himself. After some further glaring on Bianca's part, Remus excused himself rather quickly leaving just the two of them.

"What did Remus say when you told him you wanted to come back with us?"

Bianca just shrugged, "Not much really. He seemed to know that would happen anyway."

"Yeah," Harry said, nodding, "He's rather annoying like that isn't he."

Bianca laughed before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and leaving to give Harry some rest to build his magical levels back up.

* * *

The news that Harry Potter had, once again, done the impossible had spread like wildfire. The celebrations that had ceased many months ago restarted up in earnest after hearing their saviour was alive. The hospital wing had to be enlarged to several times its size to cope with all the cards and gifts he had received. Some people were even asking him for permission to name their newborn children in his honour.

It was another month before Harry's magical levels were nearly fully restored, and a further three days before he was allowed to walk unaccompanied around the halls. He expressed his desire to visit the battle site, and he was currently standing before the complete devastation that had occurred, his friends all choosing to come with him. Harry had been told that the scene had been left untouched as a monument of the battle. Harry slowly walked around the empty wasteland, in shock that the spell had done so much damage.

He stopped and slowly slid to his knees as the others came up to him. "You did the right thing, Harry."

He turned to Ron who had spoken and he could easily see the sadness and sorrow in Harry's eyes. "I did all this with _one spell_," he whispered before yelling, "SO HOW CAN YOU _POSSIBLY_ SAY IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO?!"

He roared, the golden light enveloping him and the ground started trembling beneath Harry's feet with the raw power he was unleashing.

His friends all started panicking and it was Remus who broke through Harry's defences. "We can go back and make sure this doesn't happen," he reminded him, causing Harry to instantly stopped as he closed his eyes.

"I know, Remus. But do you _want_ to leave now? I mean, I'm sure if I were Tobius, I'd rather you stay with me here."

"But you aren't me, Harry. Besides, I was thinking about coming back with you."

"WHAT?! Tobius Remus Lupin, you _cannot_ be serious?! Bianca I can understand, but _you_ aren't going anywhere!" Hermione exclaimed, and the younger Lupin flinched a little before finding his voice.

"Why not, Hermione? You told them they should go back, so why can't I?"

Hermione looked astonished that he had spoken back to her and her mouth opened and closed rapidly, trying to find something to say.

"Nice one, Tobius. I don't think I've ever seen Hermione look like that before," Draco grinned.

"Shut up, Malfoy," she snapped, causing the blond wizard to cough in an attempt to stop himself from laughing. Ron did no such thing and had taken to clutching his sides doing just that.

"Come on, Hermione. You said that if I were to become Minister…"

"Which you will since pretty much everyone voted for you," Draco cut in.

"…that I need to surround myself with a good group of people. Tobius is both shrewd and clever, so I believe he'd be great for an advisor," Harry continued.

Hermione didn't have an answer for him and sighed instead.

"How would you explain the sudden appearance of another Lupin though?" Ginny suddenly asked.

"We tell a half truth. That we were accidentally caught in a dimensional portal that landed us thirty years in the future. Tobius managed to sneak back with us, despite us _insisting_ for him to stay," Remus replied, before grinning at Tobius. "Besides, people would believe that since he's the son of a Marauder."

Tobius grinned back at his father before he, Remus and Harry all looked pleadingly at Hermione, who sighed again. "Fine. I really hate it when you look at me like that, you know," she grumbled.


	35. Chapter 35 – One Final Chance

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Ok, I know I said I wouldn't, but I have had this idea of how to do it in my head for over three years so please forgive me...for what I say is true, please forgive me...uh, sorry, that song just came on the radio, lol

* * *

**Chapter 35 – One Final Chance**

It was the end of May, and the celebrations had started up again, this time in honour of 'the-boy-who-lived'. Harry had been recognised again and given his second first class Order of Merlin. He and his friends were currently sitting at the staff table in the Great Hall, watching all the students happily chatting amongst themselves.

"This is how it's meant to be," Harry mused, shooting Remus a smile.

"I agree. It's even bigger than thirty years ago," Draco confirmed.

"It is, isn't it? I just hope this time we don't repeat the same mistakes," Hermione answered.

"Actually Hermione, war is always going to be part of life."

"Why do you say that, Dad?" Tobius asked.

"True darkness never dies. It merely waits in the shadows, gathering strength."

"So you're saying that something else is guaranteed to happen in the future?"

"I'd stake my life on it, Draco. I mean, for all we know, we may go to war against the muggles should they find out about us."

"Now that would be a rather lopsided battle. They outnumber us by over fifty to one!" Ron exclaimed.

"All we can do is prepare for the next battle and have enough faith in ourselves that the light side will win out again."

Everyone sat in silence, contemplating Remus' musings, before Harry looked up at the roof. He quickly spotted one star shining brighter than the others and smiled as he recognised Sirius. His heart then did a backflip as an idea formed in his mind, before he turned to Hermione.

"Are you certain that you want us to make sure you destroy your notes for the potion when we get back?"

"Yes, Harry. As much as it pains me to say it, it _is_ for the best."

"Can you make me the potion now?"

"Now? But you can't go back for another three months! It only keeps for three days," she answered.

"I'm not going back there."

Everyone now looked at him in shock, even some of the students that were close enough to hear him. Harry then looked straight at Remus before continuing. "I'm not letting this final chance slip by. I'm going to save him."

"Who?" he questioned.

"Sirius."

This caused several people to either drop their goblets or gasp in surprise.

"Bu…but Harry, you can't change what's already happened!"

"That's a bit rich coming from you, Hermione. It was _your_ idea to send us back in the first place," he reminded her.

"Yes, but that's different," she argued. Harry rolled his eyes and made to reply but she cut him off. "Look Harry, listen to me. What we did in our third year was go _back_ in time, not forward…"

"Which is what we're going to do in a few months," he interrupted.

"Yes, but it's a totally different concept! When we did it, we had already experienced everything that had happened. We went back and changed _nothing_. We didn't actually _see_ Buckbeak get executed because our future selves prevented it. That was how you figured out that you cast your Patronus. What you and Remus did is come forward in time. You both never experienced what transpired for the rest of us, therefore you _are_ able to change it."

"Oh Merlin, is _that_ ever confusing," Ron moaned, several people agreeing with him.

"So, you're saying that this is like doing the opposite of what we did back then. That we've done the future bit first, now we have to see if our actions can change the past, which is our future because we haven't done it yet."

"Exactly," she replied.

"Then we _can_ save Sirius!"

"Harry, Sirius' death has already happened, you can't go…"

"With all due respect, Remus, I believe I can."

"But Harry, remember everything that happened because of his passing," Remus countered.

"I know. We never would have found that book. As such, we never would have fused and beaten Voldemort. I _know_ all that, Remus, but what's the harm in trying? If I can't save him, then nothing would have changed, would it?"

"Actually, he makes a fair point."

"Thank you, Draco."

"Why don't you go back and save your parents then," Hermione snapped before realising she had actually spoken out loud. "Oh! I'm sorry, Harry! I don't know why I even said that!"

"It's fine, Hermione. As much as I'd like to, I know I can't save them. Their deaths kind of had to happen. But we don't really know exactly what happened with Sirius. No body was ever recovered. That would be the very least I could do."

There was a long silence before Ron broke it. "I don't suppose you have a plan yet," he said with a smile which Harry returned.

"I do actually. My watch can apparate two people remember?"

"And this is going to help how?" Ginny questioned.

"That place I gave you, Remus. It was still there in 1996 right?" Harry continued when Remus nodded. "That location is still stored in its memory. I can go to the Ministry with my invisibility cloak and…"

"But Albus could see through them," Hermione interrupted.

Harry nodded. "I'm counting on it. He told me afterwards that Sirius is the only person I'd go to _any_ lengths to save. He could have seen me that night."

"Therefore he may have known that you would try something like this," Remus added, understanding what Harry was getting at.

"Precisely. The only difficulty we may have, is sorting everything out in our time if I can save him."

A long silence greeted this, the entire hall having heard their conversation. Harry noticed this and addressed them all. "What would all of you do if you were in my position?" he challenged.

Brendan slowly stood up from his seat. "The exact thing you just said."

This comment was met by several murmurs of agreement by the majority of the students.

Harry then turned to Hermione, giving her a big grin. "The tribe has spoken. I'm going back."

* * *

Harry, Remus, Hermione, Ron, Tobius, Draco, Tonks and Kingsley were all in the lab, waiting for Hermione and Draco to finish the potions. Both carefully counted out exactly forty-two rotations, Hermione clockwise and Draco counter-clockwise. Everyone watched as Draco's potion turned deep blue, while Hermione's pink. 

Hermione corked a sample of her potion and handed it to Harry who carefully put it in his trunk before shrinking it again, but not before casting unbreakable charms on the vial. Draco then scooped some of his into a goblet and slid it over to Harry.

Remus then placed a hand on his shoulder and gave Harry his wand. "You might need it," he said at Harry's questioning look.

"But I've got…"

"Just take it, Harry," Remus cut in, leaving no room for argument on the matter. "You've got two full days before it happens, Harry. Remember, don't get your hopes up too much. It's far easier to go into this with lower expectations."

"Thanks Remus. I just realised, I should probably drink this somewhere else."

Before anyone could say anything else, Harry vanished from view; Lupin's Lair his destination. His final comment echoed through the lab.

"I'll see you all in a few days…and so will Sirius."

* * *

Harry landed on the floor of Remus' old house in a heap. He looked around the completely bare room and sighed. Harry then pulled out his wand to see if he was back where he intended to be, but nothing happened. Scratching his head, he then used Remus' wand to check if it had worked. 

The gold mist confirmed everything had gone to plan thus far; 1:17pm, June 20, 1996.

'I wonder why my wand didn't work?' he thought before putting it back in his trunk, deciding to use Remus' while he was here.

Harry spent the next day going over his plan, even taking to writing it down. He wanted to take no chances of anything going wrong. He knew all he had to do was to grasp some part of his Godfather, just as he was falling through the veil. There were only a couple of glitches in his plan that he could see. First was if he missed grabbing him altogether. And lastly was if he managed to save him, but Sirius was already dead, or needed medical assistance he was unable to provide.

'No, everything will be fine. I'll save him like I intended to back then,' Harry reasoned, pushing those negative thoughts to the back of his mind.

* * *

Harry had just finished going over his plan one more time when the alarm on his watch started to beep. Harry steeled himself, grabbing his wand and cloak, before checking for the hundredth time that hour if his watch's batteries were still charged fully (he didn't want something as trivial as that ruining his only chance to save Sirius). 

He sighed before saying out loud, "Well, it's time for the moment of truth."

Harry then disappeared from the room in a flash of orange before arriving in the Ministry. He quickly checked to see how many people were nearby and felt his hands clench as he could sense twelve figures currently in the Department of Mysteries. 'They were waiting for over three hours!' he thought as he slowly breathed in and out, knowing he was here for one reason only.

He slipped on his cloak and slowly crept his way into a rectangular room. Harry felt a wave of nostalgia hit him as he descended down the stairs and looked up at the tattered black curtain that hung from the ancient archway.

A lump formed in his throat as all his memories of that night came back. How he had felt a strange pull towards the veil when they first arrived. His strong desire to walk through it, 'like _that_ would have been a great idea,' Harry darkly thought.

Like before, he could hear whispers coming from the veil. Harry tried to listen to see if he could recognise any of the voices but he was quickly brought back to his senses when the door to the room opened and six people walked in. Harry froze but then remembered he still had his cloak on. He quickly and silently moved away and watched his younger self scramble down the stone benches, getting a closer look at the archway.

'I can't believe I was that scrawny!' he thought, watching as Hermione managed to drag him away, reminding him that they were here for Sirius. Harry was tempted to yell out that it was a trick but knew he couldn't. Instead, he sat down, waiting in silence. He again checked his watch, making sure it was ready the moment he needed it most. After what felt like days, he could hear muffled voices coming from nearby. Harry quickly stood up and made his way over to the veil, his heart starting to pound at the thought of seeing Sirius alive in the flesh for the first time in over a decade.

It soon came and within a matter of minutes, the room was even worse than he remembered. There were flashes of coloured light going in all directions. He saw Bellatrix cast the Cruciatus curse on Neville and then saw Sirius slamming his body against Dolohov's, giving the younger Harry time to petrify the Death Eater. He then watched the top of the stairs, waiting for Dumbledore to make his entrance.

The aged wizard arrived and Harry thought he saw him give him a quick glance as if to ask 'What are _you_ doing here?' before turning his attention to the fight in front of him. Then, at last, came the moment Harry had been waiting for.

He heard Sirius taunt his cousin and watched as Bellatrix threw her final spell at him. Like before, everything happened in slow motion. Harry saw Sirius start to fall backwards, and he saw the gleeful look on Bellatrix's face as she realised where he was heading. 'Not if _I_ have anything to do with it,' Harry reasoned.

He waited an age for his Godfather to go past him and just as Sirius was about to pass through the veil, Harry activated his watch, grabbed the tail of Sirius' cloak and apparated them both away.


	36. Chapter 36 – The Long Goodbye

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

lol, yeah I'm cruel for cutting it right there! I can just imagine some of your faces when you realised I had! The wise words of Jeremy Clarkson (BBC's 'Top Gear' presenter) spring to mind; "YOU CAN'T STOP IT _THERE_?!"

You reckon you know how this is going to turn out? So do I! I got quite emotional doing this, let me assure me. The song I had in is called 'When I Look To The Sky' and it's by Train (who, incidentally, sing my favourite song, but it's not this one). I have neglected to put it in since that is FFN's policy, so…yeah, sorry about that. If anyone wants the 'full' version, I'm only too happy to email it.

Also, this might be the last chapter for a bit...I don't have much written beyond this so it will take me some time to generate enough stuff to make into a chapter, so I apologise for that.

* * *

**Chapter 36 – The Long Goodbye**

Harry looked around the moment his feet landed on solid ground. He did this a little too quickly and fell over, groaning as his head hit something hard. Harry glanced at what it was and his heart stopped; it was a shoe, which belonged to a leg, which belonged to his Godfather.

"S…Sirius?" Harry croaked out before crawling over to check him. "Please let him be all right," he mumbled, before opening his trunk and tucking Sirius comfortably on the lounge in the final compartment.

He exited the trunk and went around, making sure he packed everything of his away from the house. This wasn't very hard since most of his possessions were in his trunk. Harry then scratched his head, wondering what he should do next. The sensible option was to go straight back to 2037, in case Sirius needed assistance. But part of him wanted to wait here in the hope that his Godfather woke up soon.

'No,' Harry thought. 'I have to go back now. Besides, the potion will only be useful until tomorrow.' That decided, Harry withdrew the vial of pink potion and set it down on the floor. He then shrunk his trunk and pocketed it before picking up the vial and gulping down its contents.

* * *

Remus was pacing frantically around his room, his hair a matted mess of light brown and grey, while his face looked as though he had went through a werewolf transformation the previous night. Tobius was doing his best to relax him, saying that if anyone could save Sirius, it was Harry. They were startled when they heard a faint 'pop', and Remus nearly crushed Harry in an embrace the moment he recognised him. 

"Er…air…please!" he managed to say.

Remus released him and apologised before asking if he had done it.

"I managed to stop him from going through the veil and I've got him resting in the living room of my trunk. But I don't know how long he'll be out for."

Remus nodded. "Let's get him to the hospital wing then. I can't thank you enough for this, Harry."

"I doubt I could if you had done it either, Remus. Let's go," Harry answered before the three of them left.

* * *

Sirius was still lying on his bed and hadn't moved for the past four days. Remus and Harry sat beside him, ignoring everyone's attempts to get them to leave. They had lost him once, and both were determined to be there the moment he woke. His prognosis, however, was not so good; the spell Bellatrix had hit him with had not done too much internal damage, but having all but fallen through the veil had. The healers were doing everything they could to help him, and as Harry and Remus slowly drifted off to sleep, they heard footsteps. 

"Come on guys, please? At least come down and eat something."

Both shook their head vehemently, determined to stay by his side. Hermione sighed, before the healers walked in, both with very grave looks on their faces.

"Harry, Remus. We have done all we can…"

"Will he live?" Harry cut in.

The healers looked at each other before one of them sighed. "His condition is critical. The curse he was struck with has not done…"

"Just answer his ruddy question!" Remus snarled. He was tired of them tiptoeing around the subject. All both he and Harry wanted to know was when Sirius was going to wake up.

Again the healer sighed. "We have been unable to heal him. I am incredibly sorry, but no, he will not survive. I'm sorry."

Harry let out a cry, while Remus tried in vain to blink back his tears. After all this, all Harry had risked to get this far, it hadn't worked.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Remus." 

"Don't be, Harry. At least we have his body. Padfoot can now rest in peace beside the others."

Harry could only nod in reply, his throat starting to choke up again. It had been two days since the announcement that his Godfather would not be able to recover, and both he and Remus had spent them in isolation, listening to the music from Harry's stereo. They had even changed the password on their dorms to prevent anyone from entering. Not that they hadn't tried, but since the new password was in parseltongue, it was a futile exercise to get in to talk with them.

Remus had cast a preservation charm on Sirius' body, and Harry had gently laid him to rest in his trunk. They both visited him numerous times a day, just to talk, telling him everything that had happened.

Both were inconsolable, with it being even worse than when it had happened in that now they actually had Sirius' body. Both had tried their best to be strong for each other, but it still was a devastating blow. Harry, again, had felt that it had been all his fault, while Remus was blaming himself for not trying harder to get Sirius to stay at home. They also looked like a mess; their eyes were red and puffy, and they both looked like they hadn't slept a wink in the last two days, which was pretty close to the truth.

"It's just not fair though. He didn't see the freedom that he deserved!"

"I know, Harry. But we both know that life is hardly ever fair."

Harry nodded, before slumping on the couch. As they both sat, lost in their own thoughts, a new song started up. Both wizards started to choke up as they recognised the words and Remus made to switch it off, but Harry stopped him. After the song had faded and Harry switched it off, both of them sat in silence for a long time. Harry finally looked over to Remus who had his eyes closed, and he gave him a small smile.

"He is watching over us, Remus. They all are."

Remus could only nod as he tried in vain to hold back his tears. Harry then moved over and embraced him, before both of them broke down again.

* * *

Time passed and it had taken a good while for Harry and Remus to fully come to terms with the outcome. No one had dared ask Harry about whether or not he would run for Minister when they went back, but Remus unconsciously broached the subject when he had asked Tobius about the law changes one day at breakfast. 

After hearing what had changed, Harry decided that the earlier someone could introduce the laws the better the chance of avoiding the war. So the next month or so saw Harry frantically studying up on the Wizarding laws and decrees. Tobius was assisting him greatly with this, since he had excelled at History during his time at Hogwarts. Remus wasn't anywhere near as busy as Harry (and the only laws he knew were the ones that had directly affected him when he was a werewolf) so he decided to catch up with his French, with Fleur acting as his tutor.

Hermione still didn't like the idea of Tobius going back with them, but there was little she could do otherwise. She blamed it on his wolfish side, saying he was just being too stubborn for his own good. But after Harry had a quiet word with her, namely that it would be beneficial for him to come back considering who 'Tuffy' had chosen as a mate for Tobius (after assuring Hermione that it wasn't her), she had reluctantly accepted the situation and let the matter drop.

The day of their farewell dawned and saw Harry and Bianca rushing around, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything, while Remus and Tobius looked in with amusement since they had packed the previous day. The four of them made their way into Hermione's old Potions office, the original place where Harry and Remus had found themselves a little over two years ago.

As they pushed open the door, they were stunned with what greeted their sight. The room had been enlarged to several times its size and was full of students, parents and Professors.

"You didn't really think we'd let you go without a final goodbye _this_ time," Hermione asked, beaming at their gobsmacked looks.

"Yeah, this is a truly momentous occasion," Ron added.

"Why? We've done this before," Harry reminded them.

"Quite right, but this time you'll be changing things for the better," Draco argued.

He then motioned them over to the bench where four goblets were waiting for them.

"Er, this doesn't taste as bad as that cure does…does it?" Tobius asked, while Remus gave him a knowing smile.

"Not at all. This one is much nicer." He then turned to Hermione, "So you believe this will be the best time to leave?"

"I think so. Assuming we time this right, the Professors should all be in the Great Hall for dinner discussing your whereabouts for the last two weeks while I'll be at my desk pouring over my notes."

Remus nodded and looked over to the others. "Well, I guess this is it."

Harry gave him a quick nod. "Time to see if we can change this."

He then saw Brendan, who wiped away a tear on his sleeve. Harry walked over and gave him a smile.

"Don't worry, Brendan. Think of this as a 'see you soon', not as 'goodbye', all right?"

Harry smiled again as his little cousin gave him a quick smile. Remus then cleared his throat, and Harry sighed before making his way back to the bench.

The four of them looked at each other, before raising their goblets and saying "To the past!" in unison. They then drowned the contents, and everyone watched as the four of them blinked out of existence.

* * *

Thoughts were still whizzing around Hermione's head as she tried desperately to figure out what had happened to Harry. Things were made worse when Bernadine had told her that Remus was missing as well. She was so caught up in her thinking that she didn't notice the four people in her office until one said, "Hi Hermione." 

What greeted her sight was something she had to do a double take at to make sure she wasn't seeing things. "Harry! Remus! You're back!" Hermione exclaimed as she rushed up and enveloped Harry in an embrace.

"Yes Hermione, we're back. All thanks to you, by the way."

"Er, yes, about that. I'm sorry that I…"

"Don't bother Hermione, it's in the past," Remus interrupted her.

"Or is that the future, Remus?" Harry asked with a grin that Remus soon returned.

Hermione looked a little puzzled at that, and also at the two other people that were here.

"Oh, forgive me, Hermione. Let me introduce you to Bianca Chelmsford and Tobius Lupin, who is Remus' son."

Hermione's eyes widened as Harry said this, causing all four of them to laugh. "You mean you…you…"

"Ended up thirty years in the future? Yes that's correct. It appears you should have written out the whole word like I told you to."

She looked between Harry and Remus who sheepishly nodded. "I, er, stirred it the wrong way," he said.

"Oh my! You mean it actually worked then?!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, it worked," Tobius announced.

"Not to be rude or anything, but exactly why are Tobius and Bianca here?"

Harry smirked at her. "Did anything interesting happen in the last few days? Was a poll or something like that taken?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, a public opinion poll for who should be the next Minister. You easily got the majority of votes, but of course you'd never consider running. After all, you always say that you love teaching here…"

"Call it a hunch, but I'm pretty sure I'll get in."

"But you aren't supposed to change…"

"Ah, but we can. You told us that yourself," Remus cut in.

"I…I did?"

Tobius nodded. "Something about being able to since they haven't experienced it before."

"So you're Minister in the future then?" she asked Harry.

"No. But because of that, we went to war again. We're back to stop that."

"Oh. That still doesn't explain why Tobius and Bianca are here though."

"Bianca is a vampire who I saved. Because of this, she is obligated to…"

"Serve you for life," Hermione finished. She had read about female vampires having to do that should anyone save them from death.

"While Tobius here decided to come back and help Harry with being Minister," Remus told her.

"You're actually going to run?"

"I kind of have to, Hermione. The future depends on it."


	37. Chapter 37 – Making Amends

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Alrighty, sorry for taking so long to update…inspiration has still been a major factor but so was the fact that I went on holiday recently. Took another trip to North America, this time to see the band Nightwish in Seattle. It was my beta, SongOfStars, idea actually…though 'beta' doesn't really cut it anymore since she's my girlfriend now as well (and that took us long enough…me dancing around the issue until she confronted me about it, lol). Concert was brilliant and the only letdown was the fact that I had to go back to NZ and couldn't stay…oh well, hopefully one day soon I can do that.

Anyway, she's blaming me for 'sidetracking her' and delaying any updates of her stories so I'll blame her for not writing this for me, LOL!

* * *

**Chapter 37 – Making Amends**

Harry looked himself over in the mirror. For the meeting with Brard he had chosen to wear the duelling robe he inherited from Trent as everyone he talked to had said that the first impression counts the most with vampires. He let out a sigh as he recalled the last time he and Bianca had gone anywhere.

It happened less than a week ago when he had arranged to take her to Hogsmeade for dinner…at least, that was the plan anyway. Instead he ended up having to deal with a whole host of reporters who had somehow figured out he was there.

_-flashback-_

"Mr Potter, are you aware of the recent poll for who should be the next Minister?"

"I am, and I was highly surprised and honoured that my name was mentioned in such elite company."

"Will you put your name down as a candidate?"

Harry shrugged. "I might as well. I mean, who wouldn't want to have a chance at becoming Minister?"

"Do you think Cornelius Fudge has been a good Minister?"

Harry was about to say that he didn't think he had been, but thought better of it. "Minister Fudge has been through a very difficult time in his tenure as Minister. He's had to face war, as well as…"

"He was instrumental in trying to bring both yourself and Albus Dumbledore down for telling everyone that Voldemort had returned," a reporter cut in.

"I'm aware of what he said. But he was under a lot of stress back then. The events of the triwizard tournament were bad enough, but then having to face the realisation that one of the most feared Dark Lords in history had returned? He did what he thought was best at the time. I do not blame him for making a mistake, everyone does it. It's just that his are a little more high profile than others."

"His mistake cost you the life of your Godfather."

Harry glared at the person who said this before answering. "Several people could be blamed for that. Yes it would have been easier if he had announced that Voldemort was back, but he didn't. I am more to blame for that than he was."

"Why is that? From all reports, you were lured there under false pretences."

"I was. But I also should have thought that it might have been a ploy _to_ do that."

"Do you regret not doing that?"

"I lost one of the people I loved the most, so of course I regret it. But Sirius died doing something many people wouldn't have done. He was considered a fugitive, yet he still risked, and lost his life fighting against Voldemort's forces."

Silence greeted this comment until one lone voice spoke. "What would be the first decision you'd make if elected as Minister?"

Harry grinned at the person before replying, "I think it would be whether or not to open a nice big bottle of firewhiskey!"

_-end flashback-_

He shook his head at the memory as that pretty much wrecked the evening. It seemed that every time the two of them were alone, something would happen to ruin the moment. He sighed again and headed outside to meet up with Bianca. She didn't have a duelling robe but Tonks had given her a dress robe which suited her perfectly; it was black but shimmered in the light to appear purple that brought out the colour of her eyes. Her hair hanging down her left side and she had a silver clip on the top to stop her fringes from falling into her eyes.

"We can go when you've finished staring at me," she teased which snapped Harry back to the present as he cleared his throat.

"Er, right. Well, grab hold since this might feel a bit weird."

She nodded and grasped his arm before Harry apparated them to the edge of the Transylvanian forest, knowing that unlike the first time he came here it would be well guarded.

As expected, four vampire warriors, each armed with spears, quickly surrounded them while a fifth spoke to him. "Who are you and state your reason for trespassing."

"My name is Harry James Potter. I seek counsel and advice from Brard Darkspawn."

"And your friend?"

"Bianca Chelmsford, child of Brard Darkspawn. I am here to show that he bears no ill will towards us and do not intend on going in with him."

The warriors lowered their weapons, but still wouldn't let them pass. Harry only had a vague idea of what kind of reception he'd receive, but he hadn't been surprised by their coldness.

"Purpose?"

Before Harry could answer, a deep voice from behind him did so for him. "He wishes to ask advice from the 1928 duelling champion about wand crafting as well as ask permission for an eventual marriage since they are bound."

Harry spluttered with indignation while Bianca felt herself blush before they turned around to come face to face with the tall figure of Brard. What differed from last time was that Brard didn't appear to be as bitter as he had been at the final battle. If anything, it seemed he had expected their arrival.

He gestured for the guards to back down, and beckoned Harry to follow him into the main camp while Bianca stayed behind. While passing through, he looked around, noticing the small dwellings that were scattered about and estimated that there were roughly two hundred vampires in the immediate vicinity. He followed Brard into the largest of the structures, which Harry guessed was for meetings and the like. Harry was taken aback when Brard led him into a room with a long table where several vampires were already seated, all of whom were the elders of this tribe.

They all looked up as the duo entered and Harry was left with a sickening feeling in his stomach as Brard pulled out one of the two remaining seats for him. "Would you like anything to drink, defeater of Voldemort and Lord of the Dementors?" he politely asked.

"Only if you were planning on having one for yourself," Harry replied, remembering what Remus, Hermione, Tobius and Bianca had told him about vampires respecting those who don't think of themselves first.

Brard nodded his head ever so slightly in respect. "Not particularly so we shall move on to your reason for being here," he answered. "But first, I must ask you this; how is it possible for you to be bound to one I turned when I haven't turned anyone for over fifty years?"

"It's a long story actually," Harry said before telling them about what had happened to Remus and himself, along with what little they knew about the reasoning behind why the war began.

After hearing Harry's tale in its entirety, Brard immediately addressed the elders, "Firstly, I must beg for your forgiveness. I daresay it must have been that Umbridge woman who flared my temper in the first place." He then turned back to Harry, "I anticipate that you are curious to why I mentioned her name? It was she who figured out that I was what I am. She drove many of those you saw on your way into this room to Transylvania with her laws," he then looked deep into Harry's eyes, silver meeting emerald. "There is no lie in your story, and while I thank you for bringing this to our attention, I don't know what you intend to do by letting us know this information."

"I intend to run for Minister. That way, I can make several changes to the way things are run, and hopefully prevent the war from, at the very least, getting to the magnitude it did."

"You seek an alliance?"

"If possible, but I would settle for recognition on your behalf."

Brard mused over this, and Harry wondered if anyone else would say anything. It was kind of unnerving to be sitting at a table, and being one of only two people doing to talking.

"And what kind of recognition are you talking about?"

"I intend to demolish the law that states no magical creatures are allowed within the Ministry itself. I don't see the reason why you cannot be treated as equals amongst us."

The elders gaped at Harry after hearing that while Brard's eyebrows shot up before he composed himself. "Well then, it would seem we have a lot to discuss."

* * *

"You appear troubled," Brard said as he led Harry back to the forest edge where the guards and Bianca were waiting for them. 

"Well, it's just…what do you know about blending timber for a wand?"

That question took the vampire by surprise. "Not a lot. However, I sense you ask me with a different question in mind."

Harry let out a chuckle thinking that the Brard from this time was much easier to talk to…probably because he wasn't trying to kill him.

"I am constructing a wand of my own creation and require a blend of Holly and Teak before encasing it in graphite for the base."

"I see…perhaps I can make a deal with you."

That peaked Harry's interest and he looked keenly at Brard, wondering what he had in mind.

"You see, I happen to know of several clans who live in vastly different forests. If you manage to revoke the law about magical creatures not being able to work for the Ministry, I might be able to persuade them into letting you browse their forests for both of those timbers."

"Really? That'd be brilliant! Er, you won't use force, will you?"

"Oh no, no, no," he laughed, "I certainly wouldn't resort to such tactics. Several owe me a favour and I could use that as payment," he explained.

* * *

"You didn't hit him," Harry said after Bianca and he were back at Hogwarts, lounging on the couch in front of the fire. 

"I know," she replied. "I guess the way he talked made me feel for him a bit knowing what he turned into."

Harry gave her a smile. "It told me that you're getting more control over your temper."

"Or that you've rubbed off on me too much," she laughed, causing Harry to poke his tongue out at her. Bianca then sighed as she laid her head against Harry's shoulder. "I just wish I knew if this was me or the bond. I know that before, I'd have given him a right old bollocking."

"I think it's a bit of both. I mean, you did say that you'd try your best to keep your temper in check. Maybe you're just feeling more peaceful about things overall?"

"Mmm, I think you're right. My life wasn't the easiest. My parents didn't exactly get on with each other, but they stayed together for me which was better than the alternative I guess. It was because of them that I grew up to be cautious around people and not putting much trust in others, that's why I didn't have many close friends. Doesn't mean I was never asked out or anything," She laughed. "I was asked a few times by guys at Uni but I wasn't really interested back then since I knew all they wanted was me in a bed."

"Not all of us are like that," Harry said softly, stroking her hair.

"I know that _now_, but only because of you," she answered, unconsciously snuggling into him. "All the stories I'd heard about you made you to be kind of like this untouchable legend. That you'd just sweep in and save the day without any worries so I was wary about you since I assumed you'd have had females hanging off you."

Here Harry snorted, stifling a laugh. "I was a bit like you, led a private life until I came to Hogwarts and found things out. I hated being in the spotlight but I suppose I can understand why people looked to me to fix everything. Kind of hard to live up to something that happened when you were barely one though."

"Yeah, I came to realise that the more time we spent together. But you're not possessive like me and that's something I've always been, not from when I got turned into what I am. The stories you told me about Hogwarts made me have to bite my tongue from saying something like 'you're mine!' whenever you mentioned Hermione, Ginny, Luna or any other girls. I don't really know why our bon…mmph!"

Bianca was cut off when she felt Harry's lips on hers. After a brief moment of shock, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall into the kiss. Just as she was starting to enjoy it and feel a little lightheaded, Harry broke the kiss and whispered, "I hope that removes any lingering doubts about whether or not I'm yours."

"I…think I need some more of that before I'm fully convinced," she coyly replied, causing Harry to chuckle. He then waved his hand at the door, locking it with wandless magic, before gently wrapping his arms around her and leant back in for another kiss, this time deeper as they explored each others tongue.

The only thought in both their minds was, 'I could get used to this.'


	38. Chapter 38 – The Calm Before The Storm

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Ok, so two chapters in quick time, well, as far as the last couple years go anyway…both my beta and myself are still in shock actually, lol!

Also a theory on the veil…written last year while I doing my 7 day cruise around Alaska. Very nice place actually…relaxing too. If you're thinking of going there, do it since you won't regret it. Remember, I haven't read the final book (not going to for a good while yet) so don't bother telling me if I'm right or wrong.

* * *

**Chapter 38 – The Calm Before The Storm**

Harry had gratefully accepted Draco's offer to teach the Defence classes while he brushed up on the political side of things with the help of Tobius. He had also managed to rope Tonks into helping them and was pleased to see that both Tobius and her were getting along wonderfully well despite the young werewolf's growling about traitors when Harry first told him she was going to help.

Since he wasn't teaching anymore, Harry had moved his belongings back to Marauders Mansion allowing Draco to settle into the teachers' quarters. Bianca also moved in, though she was rather unimpressed about having to share a house since she quite liked being with just Harry. She did brighten up after Harry told her about Ron and Ginny both working for the Ministry (while Hermione spent the majority of the year at Hogwarts) so they would have the house to themselves most of the day.

Also, with some very gentle nudging on their behalf, they had managed to get Ron interested in Lavender Brown, Ginny with Neville and a reluctant Hermione to reacquaint herself to Viktor Krum (she remembered how Ron blew up at her in their fourth year at the Yule Ball). Provided things went the way they were supposed to, Harry figured the others would eventually move out which would just leave Dobby…and he knew there was no way the little elf was going anywhere so he wasn't even going to try.

He blinked open his eyes, yawning as he stretched and as silently as he could so as not to wake Bianca who was sleeping on the other bed, made his way downstairs for breakfast. Thanking Dobby as he plonked a hot plate of bacon, eggs sausages and toast in front of him, he went over his plans for the day. His final election speech had been three days ago so he figured the results wouldn't be announced until early next week which meant there wasn't much he could do on that except wait. But what he did need to do was to take a trip to Diagon Alley and get a replacement wand since he hadn't yet begun crafting his own. After finishing breakfast and telling Dobby where he was going so the elf could inform Bianca, he went back upstairs to get changed.

He left with a 'crack' about half an hour later, strolling around the Alley and offering a "thanks" to anyone who wished him luck which wasn't a lot since the school year had started back up, something Harry was grateful for. As he pushed open the door to the wandmakers building, he felt a smile form as he remembered his last visit here some sixteen years ago. He was brought from his musings when Olivander spotted him and said, "Mr Potter? Well, I must say that this is a surprise. Has something happened to your wand?"

"Depends on what you mean," Harry replied causing Olivander raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate. "The wands you sold Voldemort and me fused together."

"Did they? How very curious indeed. Why have you waited so long to acquire a replacement?"

"My parents' wands did the same thing and I've been using it since it was an even better match."

"My word, that is highly unusual. Even _better_ match you say?"

"Yeah," Harry replied. "Instead of gold sparks, it produced a full blown rainbow instead."

"Did you come here to ask me why they fused together then? Because I am sorry to say that I would not have an answer to that."

"No, that's all right, I'm here for another reason anyway. I was wondering if you'd be able to help me in removing the core from Albus' wand and find a temporary replacement wand?"

Olivander slightly narrowed his eyes. Deconstructing a wand wasn't something he liked to do as it was notoriously difficult and had to have a very good reason to do it in the first place. "Why?"

"I'm crafting my own wand and it says that I need a Pegasus tail hair for the core," Harry replied, choosing not to tell him that in reality his new wand would have four cores. Actually, Harry was surprised that his wand details had not changed from his merging with Trent and Voldemort. He had even gone as far as to complete the questionnaire again before coming back to his own time but it gave exactly the same results.

"I see. May I ask why you undertook the process?"

"My current wand means a lot to me. It's one of the few items I have that were from Mum and Dad but it doesn't work anymore; watch." Harry then withdrew his wand and said "Lumos."

Nothing happened and Olivander nodded his head. "I see. May I have a look at it?"

Harry handed him his wand and watched as Olivander inspected it very carefully, from every possible angle. He spoke as he handed it back to Harry.

"It would appear that you have overcharged it. I am afraid that it will never work again." Harry sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. The Life Extinction curse did mention that might occur. Olivander continued, "Back to your question though, I do not think it wise to remove the core from Albus' wand when I believe I have a spare tail hair in stock, one moment please."

He left a shocked Harry behind before coming back a few minutes later with a long box. He opened the lid and Harry saw a magnificent silver hair. "Brilliant. How much do you…"

"Nothing, Mr Potter."

"I have to give you _something_. I can't just _take_ it!" he exclaimed.

"The art of wand crafting is a very meticulous skill, Mr Potter. I am honoured that you asked for my assistance in the first place, and I would be even more honoured if you showed me the finished product."

The look on his face suggested that it would be unwise for Harry to press the matter further, so he took the box, thanked Olivander and waited while the old wizard then went through a bunch of wands, seeing if Harry felt even a small connection to any of them. Finally, and very reminiscent of last time, he felt a sensation with a ten inch holly wand with a heartstring from a Norwegian Ridgeback (Harry wondered if it was Norbert but decided against asking as Olivander wouldn't have known what Hagrid had named him).

After paying for the new wand, Harry went on his way. Either word had spread of his presence as he received a lot more good luck wishes than he did when he arrived, or the lunchtime rush could have also been a valid reason for the larger crowds. Regardless, he didn't stay too much longer before apparating back home.

The first thing he noticed was that Bianca must have still been asleep since Dobby told him he hadn't needed to inform her where Harry had been. This was soon confirmed as Harry nudged open the bedroom door and heard the faint noise of breathing. He shook his head slightly, amazed that someone could sleep for that long. 'Her vampire side I suppose,' he thought before leaning over and giving her a light kiss on the forehead causing a slight smile to grace her face before slipping back downstairs for some lunch.

Just as he was finishing up, there were two loud 'cracks' from the living room before Fred and George strolled into the kitchen.

"Hi Harry," they said in unison and plonked down at the table. Dobby noticed their arrival and popped away to get more food.

"Hi guys," Harry replied. "What brings you here?"

"Not much actually," George replied as Fred had tucked into the sandwiches Dobby had just put on the table.

"Yeah," Fred said between bites. "We just wondered why you were in Diagon Alley this morning when the elections are over so there's no point in making another appearance."

Harry nodded and told them about what happened to his old wand (not mentioning about how he was going to craft his own) and that while he could get by without one, he felt more secure knowing he had a working wand with him. The topic on conversation then switched to Bianca's upcoming birthday (November 3) and whether or not Harry was going to pop the question.

He pointed out that they'd been with Angelina and Katie longer than he had with Bianca, but it was Trent's conscious that reminded him about how the bond could only be fully completed in marriage.

"That's true but there's a very simple question you can ask yourself whether or not you're ready," Fred told him and Harry raised his eyebrows waiting for him to continue. Unfortunately, he never did as a loud yawn was heard which could only mean that Bianca had gotten up.

"Beautiful timing," George remarked with a broad grin on his face while Harry groaned and slumped in his chair.

"We'll continue this later, Harry," Fred said as Bianca pushed the kitchen door open and the twins left with another pair of 'cracks' as Harry just put his head in his hands.

"Er, what did I miss?" she asked.

"Fred and George making sense actually," he replied and chuckled at the disbelieving look on her face.

* * *

The weekend rolled around which meant that Remus was able to spend time at home instead of the castle. He had been terrified before telling Bernadine about what had happened to him in the future but as Harry had pointed out; if you don't tell her, she'll be a hell of a lot more annoyed since you're hiding something so it's better to be honest and just tell her. 

His fears were unjustified as Bernadine took it remarkably well, telling him that since he didn't have any control over his actions, that she couldn't be angry with him. Remus felt the huge weight that had been on his shoulders just vanish and things had settled back to the way he remembered.

They were lying in bed discussing about what had happened to Sirius, something Bernadine found fascinating as she worked in the Department of Mysteries. "What I don't understand though," Remus said, "is that Harry stopped him from falling through the veil completely. I know it works like an execution chamber, but shouldn't he have been spared?" He looked over at his wife and noted the sadness in her eyes, along with a hint of resignation in them. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing Remus, it's just…what do you think I do as an Unspeakable?"

"Nothing that you can tell me about," he wryly answered, a comment which made Bernadine give him a small smile.

"Remind me again why I married you?" she casually asked.

"Because I put you under the Imperius," he shot back with a grin.

She laughed lightly before resting her head on his chest. She then sighed before turning around and looking into Remus' eyes. "I know how the veil works." That got Remus' attention. His mouth opened but no words came out as Bernadine went on. "I couldn't tell you earlier because everything was still purely theory, but Sirius' return has confirmed it now."

'His return? But he didn't make it,' Remus thought, but Bernadine soon answered it.

"I shouldn't be telling you this, but I think you deserve to know. No one had ever tried to save someone from it before, but the reason Sirius died is because of what the veil represents; hate."

"Hate? But how does…"

"He was forced to experience the very worst things imaginable…"

"Like a Dement…" Remus cut in, but he was shushed when Bernadine placed a finger over his lips. "Please Remus, let me finish."

Remus nodded and she sighed again. "The veil is far worse than anything a Dementor can make you feel. While a Dementor only forces you to relive the most painful experiences in _your_ life, the veil makes you relive _everyone's_ pain.

"As you said earlier, the veil is an execution device. When it was created, it was done so for the most horrible wizards and witches. The veil contains the memories, painful memories, of those who created it and the times they lived in. The unlucky ones who were sentenced to enter it were made to feel everyone's pain; be it through Crucio, being raped, the brutal murder of loved ones, or even transforming into a werewolf."

Remus greeted this comment with silence until a question came to him. "I don't see how that would kill someone."

"Perhaps I should explain it better then. By 'feel' everyone's pain, I really mean '_experience_' everyone's pain. They would be forced to go through each and every one of those situations, back to back, with no respite from it. So, you see, even though Sirius didn't actually fall completely through the veil, he would have still experienced more than enough. I daresay, that with his time in Azkaban very much fresh in his mind…"

Bernadine trailed her voice off and Remus could only nod dumbly at everything she had said. He could only imagine the terrors that Sirius faced when around Dementors, but to have to experience something as horrific as what the veil did? Remus shuddered as he remembered his own past, transforming beneath the light of the full moon. He then tried to imagine being forced to go through it again and again.

He closed his eyes, as tears threatened to overcome him. He felt the warm arms of Bernadine embrace him and he clung tightly to her.

"I'm sorry Remus, but Sirius died the moment he entered the veil."


	39. Chapter 39 – When You Say Nothing At All

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Throw in 'Calvin and Hobbes' and 'Dilbert' as another warning thing with this chapter as well…I love those cartoons, lol

* * *

**Chapter 39 – When You Say Nothing At All**

Sunset had come and gone and Bianca was sitting in the living room with her parents. A loud bang echoed through the house as the front door burst open and a tall, dark figure stepped through into the room. She watched in horror as the person then waved a stick and green light shot out and hit both of her parents who slumped to the ground.

The figure then leered and stalked over to her, his fangs elongating. Bianca was too in shock to do anything as the man whispered in her ear, "You'll make a delightful addition to our ranks, my dear." He then raked his hand down her face, causing Bianca to shiver involuntarily with the touch.

She struggled to move away, causing the figure to laugh which only made Bianca struggle more. The vampire threw her onto the lounge and ripped Bianca's shirt off. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't pull away from his grip. She opened her mouth to scream but the vampire had planned for that situation as he cast a silencing spell. The situation was hopeless and just as the man straddled her, Bianca's eyes snapped open and it took her a few second to gather her bearings, gulping in the air as she did so.

She was lying on her side and initially wondered why she felt something draped over her back and glanced down to see a hand which wasn't hers. Bianca then recognised the hand as Harry's and lightly placed her hand over his, giving it a small squeeze as she realised she just had a dream. This had the reaction of Harry pulling her closer to him and she allowed herself to relax.

They stayed like that for a while but Bianca couldn't fall back asleep so she slowly loosened his grip and rolled over so she was facing him. She assumed he was asleep as he had a content look on his face and softly said to herself, "Why are you in my bed?"

She was surprised when Harry mumbled, "Because you've been having bad dreams the last few nights and I felt you wouldn't mind the company."

His eyes blinked open and he gave her a smile which she returned. "Thank you," she replied before giving Harry a light kiss on the cheek and snuggling into his embrace.

"My pleasure," he said and softly stroked her hair until both of them fell asleep.

It was some time later that Bianca felt something shifting beside her and she slowly opened her eyes to see Harry about to walk out the door. "Where are you going?" she murmured , sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"I just have something to do before the special edition of the Prophet comes out with the election results," Harry replied and Bianca rolled her eyes.

"Well duh uh, I kind of gathered that. I just wondered why you didn't want anyone to go with you, that's all," she answered.

"Oh, right. Well, I guess it's due to this being something I'd rather do alone."

"You're going to his house aren't you," Bianca said, with no emotion in her voice.

Harry nodded. "I have to. I've put it off long enough."

"I know…but do you _have_ to go today?" she said with a slight whine in her voice which caused Harry to smile.

"Not really, but the sooner I get this over with the sooner I won't have to do it."

Bianca sighed but nodded and watched as Harry left to go to the nearest apparition point. He could have just apparated directly from the house, but he wanted a little more time to think about exactly what he was going to say. Finally, with a 'crack', Harry disappeared; Little Hangleton being his destination.

Harry looked around the streets after reappearing and was guided to one of the houses by Voldemort's spirit.

'This was where you were born?'

'It was. Just hurry up and get this over with, Potter. I do not wish to ever return here.'

'It's not a bad place you know. Maybe I should consider buyin…'

'Do that and I shall make _sure_ that you turn into myself,' he replied in a rather threatening tone, while Harry could tell that Trent was trying his best to not laugh at their byplay. Harry smiled, took a deep breath and pushed open the front door. He made his way into the living room where he was greeted with a familiar figure, albeit a translucent one.

"Potter? Come here to gloat have you?" Voldemort sneered.

Harry ignored him and began the speech that the Dark Lord's spirit had told him. "You could have been a great wizard, you know. Instead, you chose a life of hatred and sank into the Dark Arts. You killed your own father and tortured hundreds of innocent people. You took away from me the two people who loved me the most, after forcing one of their best friends to reveal their location."

"I don't deny that, Potter. If you're just here to remind me of where it got me, then you can…"

"Don't waste your breath, I'm nearly finished."

Voldemort snorted in reply, but otherwise remained quiet.

"We'll skip forward some ten years, when you came back. You tortured me and tried to kill me in the graveyard, but I managed to escape. You then used my Godfather to lure me into a trap, where one of your minions killed the only father figure I had ever had in my life. I got my revenge on her though, less than a year later. I defeated you, just as the prophecy predicted I would. I even offered to spare you, do you remember?"

"Naturally. But if you've come to try to get me to pay my debt to you, then you shall be sorely disappointed, Potter. I will never…"

"You already did."

Voldemort looked confused at this, so Harry told him the full details of everything that had happened, including what happened while he was in a coma. When he finished, his old foe was stunned into silence.

"I came here to release you from your binds. I hold your debt to me fulfilled, Tom Riddle. You are free to…_go on_. I believe that's the right term."

Voldemort looked at Harry in something he later realised was awe, and managed to find his voice. "I…you…despite everything I've done to you, you still let me do that?"

Harry nodded in reply.

"I…don't know what to say."

"Oh don't worry, I know you still hate me with a passion. I just thought I'd come by to tell you."

Voldemort nodded and just before his ghost completely faded from view, Harry spoke to him for the last time. "Thank you, for saving my life."

Harry stayed only a few more moments before he decided to go back home. No sooner had he arrived with a 'pop', he heard Bianca' voice. "_Finally_, you're back! Get in here and read this!"

'Ahh, must be the election results,' he mused and quickly made his way into the kitchen where he saw a full house waiting for him; all the Weasleys, all three Lupins, Lavender, Neville, Hermione, Tonks (who was sitting next to Tobius), Angelina, Katie and Bianca. Even a few of the Professors from Hogwarts were there. Harry sat down between Bianca and Remus as the former werewolf read out the article.

_POTTER THE NEW MINISTER OF MAGIC IN A LANDSLIDE!_

_Thursday morning, after the most one-sided vote in the history of the Ministry, Harry Potter (27) was elected as the new Minister of Magic, the youngest in British history._

_Sources deep within the Ministry said Potter had nearly four times as many votes as the next candidate, and the race was over nearly as quick as Potter's record of catching the golden snitch._

_The outgoing Minister gave Potter a brief message. "I'd like to offer my congratulations and wish him the best of luck. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Minister and I am sure that Mr Potter will also."_

_Best friend of Potter, Ronald Weasley (27), had this to say about Potter's election, "I'm ruddy stoked! I never thought he'd want to be the Minister after everything they've done to him in the past. But it looks like he wants to make sure that those mistakes aren't repeated."_

_Another friend, Remus Lupin (48, and also a friend of Potter's father), added "Harry will make sure that those who are dedicated to their work get rewarded. He'll be fair, but also won't take any rubbish. Besides, who would want to argue with the wizard who defeated Voldemort?"_

_It was clear from the results what the answer was; no one._

Remus folded the paper and set it aside. "So, what's next on your list of impossible things to do?"

Harry snorted. "Well, I was thinking about maybe having to deal with a Dark Lord chasing after…wait, I've already done that. Oh, I've got it! How about going to the future and end a war? Nope, done that too."

"You could settle down with Bianca and get married."

This caused Harry and Bianca to both choke on their drinks, while everyone else either burst out laughing or smiled widely at Tobius' suggestion. Harry eventually recovered and glared at the younger Lupin who was grinning at him madly. "I'll do that when you ask Tonks the same question."

That then caused those two to blush while the laughter erupted again.

* * *

Harry was lying in bed trying to get to sleep but it wasn't working as too many thoughts were running through his mind, the main one being whether or not he could do the job as Minister and if he should propose to Bianca on her birthday. The twins had bugged him about it a few days ago and Tobius had brought it up again today (granted it was in a joking manner but it was still mentioned all the same). 

He sighed as he rolled onto his back, going over the question Fred finally told him he had to answer if he was ready or not to ask Bianca the question; did he love her? Could Harry stand waking up every morning with her alongside him in the same bed?

Harry had asked Remus nearly exactly the same question a week before he married Bernadine and smiled to himself as he recalled how the conversation went.

_-flashback-_

"Remus?"

"Mmm?"

"How do you know if you're in love?"

Remus looked over at Harry and gave him a broad smile. "How do you know? You just do, Harry. It's as simple as that."

"That doesn't really help," he replied, crossing his arms and giving his friend a glare.

"Ok, ok," Remus answered, holding his hands up in defence, "It's just a little difficult to explain, that's all." He then sighed, before closing his eyes, remembering when he had thought about this very question with Bernadine. "Well, your heart beats a little bit faster every time you see her. Your brain sort of short circuits and you get all woozy, which causes your brain and mouth to disengage, forcing you to babble like an idiot until she leaves."

"That…is a pitiful explanation, Remus," Harry said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Funny you should say that."

"Why?"

"Because that's how James explained it to us," Remus answered causing Harry to burst out laughing.

After a moment or two, Harry cringed and asked, "Dare I ask what was Sirius' explanation?"

Remus stared pointedly over Harry's shoulder. "Do you honestly want to know the answer to that knowing what he's like in the portrait?"

Just then, Sirius' voice from the wall said "Oi! I heard that, you flea-bitten moonmutt!"

Harry gulped, "You're right! I've changed my mind, I don't want to know."

The two started laughing again as Sirius grumbled about having no respect for the dead. Remus retorted with saying he'd give him a rude gesture if Lily wasn't in the portrait, causing the youngest Potter to laugh harder, as he and Remus left.

_-end flashback-_

"You're thinking about what Tobius said, aren't you?" Bianca's voice said, startling Harry out of his thoughts. It was a statement more than a question though.

"Sort of," he replied. "I was actually thinking about something Remus told me before his wedding."

"I was impressed with your comeback to him actually," she said, and Harry could picture the grin on her face as she said it.

"I figured if I didn't say something like that, you certainly would have," he cheekily replied causing Bianca to stifle a laugh.

"So would you?" Bianca softly asked him, referring to Tobius' suggestion.

"I honestly don't know," Harry answered. "It's not like I've ever had to think about it before. I know that I care about you a great deal and you're the one person who means the most in my life right now. But whether that's true feelings or the bond, I wouldn't have a clue. Would you accept if I did?"

"I…" she hesitated and furrowed her brow as she really thought about it. "I think I'm the same as you. I know that the bond will continue to push us closer together until we complete it but I care about you too and I overheard Remus saying he thought we were both good for each other."

"Is that enough?" Harry asked.

That was met with silence as neither of them could answer it.


	40. Chapter 40 – A Moment Of Deja Who

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Thanks again to everyone who's stuck with this story…apologies for not updating as quick as I used to but the grind of work coupled with me moving overseas combined to cut down my 'fic time'. Another thanks to the wonderful people who review too…makes me know that what I'm writing isn't a total waste of time, lol

The big four-oh huh…who'd have thought that I'd be still writing some four years after starting? Who'd have thought I'd still be trying to finish this one off after three years…oi, what a mission :P

Another smut alert by the way…so if you don't want to read that, I suggest stopping at the warning.

* * *

**Chapter 40 – A Moment Of Deja Who**

A light flicked into life as the door opened and a figure walked in, glaring at the amount of paperwork piled on the desk as if willing it to disappear. The overly large office was made to look even bigger as the occupant didn't have all that many things cluttered around despite working here for over half a year. There were a few muggle photos up on the wall and behind the desk were two framed newspaper articles. The one on the left, as one entered the room, was only a couple months old and read about the reorganisation the Ministry had undergone.

_POTTER RINGING IN THE CHANGES_

_Minister Potter has taken his trusty Firebolt and swept through the Ministry, choosing to make a fresh start. Several Departments have been either renamed or conglomerated as Potter concentrates on trying to make the Ministry into what he sees it should be; something to be proud of._

_Gone is the Improper Use of Magic Office, relocated as a separate division of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, with Amelia Bones and Kingsley Shacklebolt being handpicked by Potter himself to lead the new department. The Information Office, Misuse of Muggle Artefacts as well as the Magical Accidents and Catastrophes departments were all combined to form the new Magical and Muggle Relations Division. Arthur Weasley (60), former Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts department was chosen to head the new division and delivered the following statement:_

"_The Minister hopes that the new office would introduce Muggle families with magical offspring to the wizarding world. With the ever growing population of muggleborns into our community, it is hoped that by doing this, there will be less of a divide and more understanding between the cultures."_

_Word has it that Minister Potter is trying to revoke the current law that prohibits magical creatures inside the Ministry building, citing their assistance in the war against Voldemort as evidence that they deserve respect._

"_In the Atrium of the Ministry is a fountain with a wizard, a witch, a house elf, a centaur and a goblin as its centrepiece. When I first saw it, I thought about how unlike the magical world it was. House elves live in servitude, and from what I know about centaurs and goblins, they would most likely prefer to spit on a wizard than be associated with one. I hope to make that fountain a reality."_

_This has been challenged by several members of the Wizengamot and it is unknown whether or not Potter will get his way when the voting is cast next week._

The other article was the one done a week later and Harry stared at it, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair. It had been a mighty close run thing and had caused an uproar from a few sections of the public but the Wizengamot's vote was final so nothing more could be done at this stage.

_NEW DECREE PASSED!_

_In an historic day, Minister Potter was proud to report that magical creatures will get the respect he believes they deserve. Potter was successful in getting his controversial new law passed, with a 56 percent majority. Some have seen this as a sad day in Wizarding history, but the Minister is hopeful that old habits will eventually pass, and reminded everyone again of the help they provided in the final battle against Voldemort. Hours after the decree was passed, Potter appointed Tobius Lupin (31, and the time-travelled son of Hogwarts Professor, Remus Lupin) as his political advisor._

"_House elves work here, so why can't a werewolf? Besides, Tobius excelled at Wizarding Law and history when he attended Hogwarts," was the reply Potter gave when questioned on the appointment._

_To further emphasise his stance, the Minister then offered the role of financial advisor to Griphook, an employee at Gringotts. The acceptance of the offer proved to be a stunning coup for Potter, as relations between wizards and goblins have always been somewhat strained. Potter had recently closed his Gringotts accounts, but personally asked Griphook based on their previous dealings which the goblin rather cautiously accepted._

The goblins had been rather upset when Harry had pulled his accounts from Gringotts, but after he explained about the better deal he was going to be getting, he had gotten a grudging respect from them. But exactly how Harry had managed to convince Griphook had remained a secret just between the two of them.

A knock on his door caused Harry to look up from the paperwork he had been doing and stood up as Brard entered his office to shake the vampire's hand before offering him a seat which was accepted with a nod.

"You're a busy man I see," he said, waving a hand at the stack of papers on Harry's desk. "Thought you'd have had others going through them for you."

"I do," Harry replied. "These are the ones that Tobius can't read through since he's busy with other reports."

"Ahh, I see. Shall I come back later then?"

"Merlin no! I need a break from reading after doing it for the last week," Harry said, causing Brard to chuckle.

"I just came to ask when you want to craft your wand since you have fulfilled your end of the bargain so now it's time for me to do the same," he answered, handing Harry a list of three forests that would best suit his need of finding the correct timbers required.

"It'll have to wait until after the wedding I imagine. I'm lucky to even be at work today since Bianca has been rather frantic about it."

Brard smiled broadly. "I'll bet she has. All vampresses have a tendency to want things to be perfect and will do practically anything to make sure they remain so."

"Tell me about it. Although, Dobby is quite happy with things since he gets to clean up in her wake. You are coming right? I haven't seen any of the acceptance letters yet since Tobius is looking after those."

"Of course. She is, in a way, one of mine after all. I presume this will be a rather large function since you are not only 'The Harry Potter' but also the Minister?"

"Unfortunately," Harry nodded glumly in reply. "The thought of eloping crossed our minds after seeing the initial invitees list."

Brard just chuckled again before bidding a Harry farewell with assurance that Harry would try to get to, at least, one of the forests within the next two months. After the door closed, he went back to the paper on top of his pile and groaned as it wasn't a report but a message from Tobius reminding him about his suit fitting this afternoon.

"I had one last week, why do I have to go through it all over again? I hope she hasn't changed her mind over the dress, that'd be the seventh time she's done that!" he muttered before writing a reply thanking Tobius for reminding him.

* * *

The wedding was taking place on the Quidditch pitch of Hogwarts since, despite using magic, the Great Hall couldn't accommodate the number of guests who had accepted the invitation…and that number didn't include those who tried to get in uninvited; Fred and George working with Remus saw to those. Ron was best man while the groomsmen were Remus, Neville and the twins. For Bianca; Hermione, Ginny and Fleur were the bridesmaids with Tonks chosen as maid of honour (whether this was by choice or another attempt to annoy Tobius, Harry couldn't tell).

"There's still time for you to run, Harry," Ron said as he arrived next to his best friend, causing Harry to roll his eyes as he remembered saying the same thing at Remus' wedding.

"If that was Remus who said that, I'd say this was deja vu."

"Yeah, but who do you think told me to say it since you wanted me as best man?"

Harry just glared at Ron's grin before the music played not the wedding march, which Bianca hated and threatened to literally suck the life-force out of anyone who suggested using it, but rather another tune that actually sounded more majestic than the traditional song. When asked what it was, she would just shrug and say it was from a muggle game that she liked to play often and simply called the music 'Figaro Castle.' Ron leaned over and whispered, "I'm half expecting her to be wearing black."

"So am I," he whispered back.

The music started up again and people quickly crowded Harry's view of where Bianca was to enter. If the happy sighs and gasps were anything to go by, he needn't have worried about her wearing something a little different this day. The people parted and Harry finally got a look at his bride-to-be and his breath caught; she looked amazing.

Her dress was a traditional white, off-the-shoulder gown. She walked slowly down the aisle, accompanied by her father (who, after a long discussion with Harry, Bianca and Filch had eventually come to the conclusion that Bianca was indeed her daughter from the future). The ceremony was a blur for Harry who stood there repeating whatever he was asked to as he was just staring at her. Finally the moment came and Harry lifted the veil from Bianca's face and leant in to give her their first kiss as husband and wife among the cheers from the crowd.

* * *

"You do know that you haven't told me where exactly we're going for the next three weeks, don't you?"

"Yes I do know that," Harry replied with a grin which only increased as Bianca scowled at him. They were back at their home and the only request Harry had told her was to pack her bags and dress comfortably. She then tried a different tactic as she smiled sweetly and snuggled into him.

"I'd like it even more if you _did_ tell me," Bianca murmured as she breathed lightly into his ear sending shivers down Harry's spine. Harry wrapped his arms around her and smiled back.

"Probably, but this is much more fun," he said before the two of them vanished in an orange light as Harry apparated them both away.

No sooner had they arrived at their destination, Bianca punched Harry's arm. "Don't _do_ that!" She was about to continue a brief rant but stopped when she finally had a look at where they were. A massive orange bridge stretched beyond them and a mass of cables could be made out in the distance as well. "Of all the places in the world, you brought me to San Francisco, why?" she questioned, with a hint of disappointment in her voice as she had been hoping for someplace a little more romantic.

"We're not staying here long," he replied as he gently guided her away from where they were standing. "In fact, we have to check in soon."

"I thought you said we weren't staying long?"

"Not here we're not. Our ten-day cruise to Alaska leaves in a few hours."

Bianca stopped in her tracks and her mouth hung open in shock. It took a good few minutes before she had recovered enough to ask if she had heard correctly. Harry confirmed she had and Bianca's slight disappointment was replaced with euphoria. "I've wanted to go on that cruise for _ages_! How did you know?!"

Harry just smiled smugly and replied, "I'm Harry Potter, I know everything."

"Well then, Mr Potter is going to get _very_ lucky over the next ten days. Actually, we're not really going to see much from within our cabin," she said in a seductive voice.

"I know. That's why we're booked on another cruise that leaves from Vancouver when this one's finished."

Bianca just looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You really know how to make a girl happy, don't you?" She then gave him a kiss and smiled. "Thank you. I don't care how you found out that I've wanted to do this, but this is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."

Harry just grinned back at her. "Had to do something nice since you said 'yes' when I asked to marry you."

* * *

_**-warning; smut alert to chapter end-**_

The two of them wandered around the ship after going through the mandatory life boats demonstration making a mental note of what each deck contained. As they leant over the rail on the top deck, watching the city get smaller in the ships wake, Harry leant over and whispered, "Shall we head back to our room?"

"Sure," she whispered back. "I'm only wearing my bikini under this."

Harry's eyes widened before he grabbed a thoroughly amused Bianca by the hand to the nearest lift. As luck would have it, it was empty so Bianca planted a kiss squarely on a surprised Harry's lips and ran her hands through his hair. The lift stopped and they quickly found their room number and went inside. He barely managed to cast silencing charms on the walls, door, roof and floor before Bianca spun him around and kissed him hungrily.

The kiss didn't last very long but when they broke apart, Bianca's mouth was open and she was breathing heavily with a slightly glazed look in her eyes. She did not see clearly anymore, only Harry's face close to hers. She moved her face very close to Harry's and she kissed him softly on the lips. Harry didn't hesitate before he kissed her back. This one was tender and she felt the warmth and passion building up. She opened her mouth pressing her tongue against his lips, demanding entry which Harry gave her immediately. Their tongues played with each other; Bianca trying to force his tongue back into his mouth while Harry was trying to make circles around her tongue.

Suddenly, his lips tried to hold on to her tongue and he sucked. Bianca was surprised by that and Harry could not help but chuckle which caused him to lose his grip on her tongue. Bianca broke the kiss and she smiled. "Well _master_," she huskily whispered. "Why don't you do more rather than just fooling around?"

Harry chuckled again and moved a hand lower down her back, feeling the waistband of her jeans, and lower still, caressing Bianca's curves. He then moved even closer and kissed her with more unbridled passion which Bianca matched just as fiercely. The swaying increased and slowly he guided her towards the bed.

'I think we're about to test how good those silencing charms that he cast are,' she thought as Harry broke off the kiss to take a breath.

He then reached over and started to unbutton her blouse between kisses while Bianca did the same with Harry's pants. Kicking off their shoes, they tangled their feet together, playfully moving ankles and toes. Bianca squirmed a little as Harry opened her blouse, caressing her breasts through her bikini top. He then helped Bianca by shrugging off his pants before reaching behind her back and untying the top to free her breasts. His hands roamed over her body, while Harry started to gently suck on her nipples, one after the other. When he was finished with one nipple, he moved slowly to the nipple of the other breast, the whole time licking and sucking the skin between both breasts.

'Oh, this is _incredible_,' she thought before groaning in pleasure. "More," Bianca whispered and she thrust her chest in Harry's face. "More!"

She gasped as Harry gently bit down on her nipple before doing the same to the other. Bianca's hands helped Harry's in removing her jeans and it wasn't long before the rest of their clothes were strewn across the room.

"Merlin, you're gorgeous," Harry breathed before leaving a trail of kisses along the nape of her neck.

"You know, that area is more _my_ forte than yours," she said.

"We have a lot of time to compare that," he replied, hungrily kissing her lips again but Bianca soon stopped him.

She had been waiting for this moment ever since the day Harry became Minister. Bianca loved the way that Harry was; trying to prove, and succeeding, to her that not all guys were like Halale. When Harry has finally proposed to her, it was the best moment in her life (wedding day not included) and she could barely restrain herself from snogging him senseless but managed to choke out a yes between sobs and gave him a bone-crushing hug…the snogging came later.

While Halale had ensured that tonight would not be her first time, it would be the first time she had been a willing participant and Harry not only understood that, but loved her regardless. At least she knew it wouldn't hurt as much as the first time did…that was the only thing she could thank Halale for.

"Please," she begged. "I want you inside me. Please."

Harry nodded and straddled Bianca, gently pushing her legs apart. She closed her eyes as she felt the tip of his (uncut, she noticed) manhood enter her slowly. Harry heard her release a breath and held her down as Bianca tried to arch up, keeping the penetration slow and tantalising. Both of them were panting by the time he was completely in, sweat covering their faces and chests. Harry slowly licked the sweat from her breasts before giving her a light kiss.

"You ok?" he asked, the concern showing in his eyes.

Bianca just nodded, not trusting her voice to do anything except give a guttural growl. She wrapped her legs tightly around him, begging him to stop teasing her. Harry started to move, slowly at first before increasing his thrusts.

"You're so tight," he sighed. "I can't last as long as I want to."

"I don't care," she replied. "You've given me more than enough."

He then slammed into her, thrusting hard and fast, causing her to gasp. Bianca's nails bit into his shoulders as she arched up to him. As she reached her limits, shuddering, Harry let go, groaning his pleasure as the hot fluid shot from his body. He slumped down on top of her, kissing her gently. "That was amazing," he whispered. "Absolutely amazing."

"Yes," she sighed, completely drained. They lay in silence for several long minutes as their heartbeats slowly returned to normal and some of the sweat dried from their faces and bodies, except where they were still touching.

Both were aware that they had finally experienced the first of many ways they were going to make love to each other. The cruise was still only on its first night after all. Holding her face in one of his hands and gently stroking her hair as he whispered, "I love you, Bianca."

And she knew it was true. They were connected in spirit, mind and, now, in body. It was everything she had ever dreamed it would be and in her heart, knew it would be. This was destined the moment he had saved her and their bond was now complete.


	41. Chapter 41 – Right Here, Right Now

Do I really need to say this again? J K Rowling IS Harry Potter. If you recognise anything that seems remotely familiar from any movie, TV show, book or whatever else, it's probably because it _is_ from them. If you want my 'full' warning, you can check out either 'Dormant Power' or 'Beginning of the End'.

So, I've written a prequel, on with the sequel! Remember, I only wrote this because several reviewers requested me to (gosh, am I nice or what, lol!). Again, only some names are mine (as is the storyline I guess), everything else is not!

Finally! After a wait of, what seems to me, a decade, I have managed to write the ending to this story to my satisfaction! This has been a real bit…uh, pain to write, let me tell you. Many apologies to those who have been waiting with baited breath…probably not many now, LOL!

Anyway, this chapter will bring my story to beyond 100,000 words, making it easily the longest I've written. It also marks the end of my 'Trent Fuller' saga and I can say that, at this stage, I won't be writing about Trent's school days. Only thing left is my usual 'fake epilogue' where I thank everyone again for reading this and putting up with the lengthy update times from the useless author from about halfway on, lol

* * *

**Chapter 41 – Right Here, Right Now**

Harry sat staring up at the night sky, the remnants of a campfire in the clearing gave him an eerie glow if Bianca were awake to see him. How long had they been out here: a week, a month? He had thought that finding the most compatible holly was going to be relatively easy as his previous wand used it, but it had been quite the opposite so far and Bianca had concluded it must have been due to his affinity to holly which was making it more difficult (it had only taken them a day to find the 'right' teak and the branch was safely tucked away in his trunk). Brard had told Harry that he needed to 'feel' the forest, try to sense out the power that would call to him, showing which tree he was meant to use.

As he let his mind fly through the forest, he watched as the trees rapidly changed and gave way to darkness…then Harry felt it. It was so abrupt that he almost lost his concentration. He let his mind see where it was and eventually calculated it was still some way east of where they had set up camp for the night before he allowed his mind to disappear from that region of the forest and return to his body.

He let out a sigh and looked over at Bianca who snuggled closer when she felt him shift and Harry found himself absently stroking her hair as he watched her sleep. He wandlessly summoned a drink, carefully inspecting it so as to not make the same mistake Ron had once. While Bianca may not have always acted like one, she was still a vampire and, as such, did require blood from time to time. She had tried the blood replenishing potion and found it didn't satisfy her needs so Harry had allowed her to sample his blood and after finding a way, thanks to Hermione, of storing it in the fridge, no one had to worry about Bianca going on a bloodthirsty rampage one night. Ron had found out the hard way about the bottles after mistaking it for tomato juice…he took the rest of the day off work, sick, after Dobby broke the news to him.

Smiling at the memory, Harry rolled over and felt his wife snuggle closer to him as he tried to get some sleep before finding the tree from his vision tomorrow.

* * *

Harry enjoyed the trees as they continued on, Bianca had long given up asking how close they were as Harry would touch a tree every once in a while to try to sense how far they were from the tree he had seen. It seemed to be approaching very slowly as it had been three days since his vision before he stopped at a small grove and frowned; it was around here but exactly where, Harry had no clue.

He put his hand up against the nearest of the trees. He learned every inch of the tree and while it had power, it wasn't a perfect match. He went to the next, and then the next before he came upon the largest one out of the group. He had been through twelve of the trees and only had three more to check. As he touched the tree, he felt a surge of magic, and the tree began to move. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it; the tree was measuring him, just as he was measuring it. He knew this was the tree, it had to be. Bianca looked up, trying to find a branch with her keener eyesight, one that wouldn't hurt the tree to remove while Harry searched for one with his mind. His mind found it a few seconds before Bianca's eyes did. Near the top of the thirty foot tree was a broken limb. It was long and thick enough, but it had been snapped by something so it would be alright to remove it.

After enlarging the broom Bianca had in her backpack, Harry reached the branch and ever so carefully wiggled it, trying to break it off gently. But the branch was still green and fresh so refused to snap off easily. He pulled it back and forth so violently that he nearly lost his balance on the broom. Regaining his composure and putting the sound of Bianca's giggles to the back of his mind, Harry went back to work, bending it at the joint, then back until it was bending so much that he bent it all the way back. He was tired and aching but finally, it fell free, landing safely on the ground where Bianca picked it up and waited for him to land.

"Well," he said. "We got what we came for so let's go home."

Bianca nodded and after allowing Harry to wrap his arms around her, the duo apparated from the forest in a flash of orange.

* * *

As promised, Ollivander was watching Harry during the construction, making sure he didn't miss out any steps. Harry had already sliced the holly and teak branches into wand 'halves' and was currently going about incorporating the cores. Ollivander didn't even so much as bat an eyelid having seen that the wand was to have four cores, but he was dying to find out exactly what was going to happen when Harry first picked the completed wand up…after all, he recalled Harry telling him about the full rainbow sparks his fused parents' wand had originally done, so what would this one do since it was tailored specifically to Harry…by Harry himself? Personally, he was leaning towards Harry being encompassed in light.

After shaping and sanding both halves, inside and out, Harry carefully slid the cores into place, ensuring to follow the instructions to the letter. Ollivander had believed that if Harry ever got bored with being Minister, he could make a career of wandcrafting…not that he would have appreciated it; after all, a monopoly of the market is far better for business. Harry then plugged the hole at the base of the wand before looking up at the old wandmaker.

"Do you think I picked the right way to use both timbers? Most of the things I read about the subject mentioned about wrapping one wood around the other, not doing this half and half."

"Mr Potter, there is no 'right' way to do this. The reason most wrap the woods is due to it being easier but, as I'm sure you know since you have researched this, by creating it the way you have will ensure more effective usage as both types of wood are in contact with the cores."

"Yes, I did read up on that. I think the tricky part will be binding them as one must take great lengths to ensure there is no join lines."

"Correct, but considering how diligently you've been following the instructions, I do not believe that will be a problem." the old wizard said, causing Harry to smile at the praise.

Harry then carefully focused on the wand, placing a finger on one of the join lines and closed his eyes. A soft grey glow emanated from his finger as he traced the line down the wand, leaving no trail of a joint. Basically, he was 'melting' the timber so it fused together, leaving no seam. Ollivander concluded the reason why the glow was grey was due to both the light and dark nature of the cores. This was the only magic one could do on the wand as it had the benefit of charging the cores up as well as beginning the process of making the wand your own. It was the charging of the cores that made this method of fusing the wood together more powerful than the wrapping method as one carried out the infusion before the cores (so they had to be charged up beforehand) had been included.

'Now comes the final part,' Harry thought to himself as he delicately picked the wand up with the set of tongs Ollivander had provided. He couldn't risk picking it up with his hands as any direct contact with a magical being at this stage had the potential to overload the core, making the wand as useless as Harry's current wand was.

He stopped over a cauldron that had the potion in which the wand would need to soak for seven days (seven being the 'most magical number' or something, Harry remembered reading). The potion mainly consisted of liquid graphite and Harry's blood. The graphite was required for the coating while the blood finished the phase of ensuring the wand had Harry's 'signature' on it, also verifying that it was his own creation.

"And now we wait," Harry muttered as he dipped the wand slowly into the cauldron.

* * *

"You can't be _that_ narrow sighted to not have thought of the struggle it would take to drag the Wizarding world into modern times!" said an exasperated Tobius.

"Well, they should have spoken up _before_ all the decrees passed!" Harry retorted.

"Yes, but they're all set in their ways. You can't just change them overnight!"

"You can't tell me that things in the Ministry are worse than since the time Tom Riddle went 'hey, here's an idea. If I rearrange the letters of my name, I get 'I am Lord Voldemort' and can wreak havoc across the lands!' We've made great progress!"

'I heard that, Potter!' the disgruntled spirit of said Dark Lord mumbled, though Harry barely heard it due to Trent roaring with laughter and solely focusing on his political advisor.

The rest of the department heads had long given up on stopping the duo as this happened in most meetings whenever the two of them didn't agree on a subject. Most of them believed it was due to the fact that Harry's wife had never gotten along with Tobius and Harry was channelling her through the bond.

"I agree," Tobius said, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. "But the fact remains that while we have made progress, you should wait a bit longer before drastically overhauling the Hogwarts curriculum."

Harry gave him a glare before sighing. "Fine, you might be right. Hold off those changes, maybe we can gradually do it instead." He then smirked, "You know, I don't know about anyone else but I found it rather amusing that Bernadine gave birth to a girl. Are you _sure_ Hermione didn't cast any spells on you in the other timeline?"

"LET'S MOVE ON!" Tobius yelled, his face flushed in embarrassment.

Amelia decided it best to do just what Tobius said and save him from Harry as she saw Harry's wand starting to produce sparks even though he wasn't holding it, "Wonderful idea. So how will we know when this 'next person of great power' comes along?"

Harry looked over to where she was situated, both grateful and annoyed at the change of topic, before answering, "Albus told me I'd feel it, he said it was like a ripple in a pond. We'll just have to wait until it happens. Besides, I don't know about any of you, but I am rather happy with not having to keep looking over my shoulder for an attack."

"I'll drink to that," Kingsley replied, conjuring some glasses while Harry called for Dobby to get a bottle of firewhiskey.

"To the future," they all declared, raising their glasses as one.

_**~Fin~**_


End file.
